


Look for Me

by Starshaker



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Negotiations, PTSD mentions for Bilbo, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-03
Updated: 2016-03-09
Packaged: 2018-05-24 13:28:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 27,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6155155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starshaker/pseuds/Starshaker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the Battle of the Five Armies Bilbo Baggins has reservations about staying under the mountain no matter the welcome he receives. By nothing short of a miracle the whole company have survived the journey and the battle in mostly on piece and they are soon on the way to rebuilding their home. Not for the first time since leaving Bag End, Bilbo can’t seem to find his place.</p><p>Bilbo’s Tookish roots have been greatly fed and watered in the past months and quite refuse to be considered second to proper and respectable hobbit in him. As Bilbo tries to find a compromise in himself more than a few Tookish and Baggins-ish problems seem to force his hand. But which will win out and sate him for the rest of his days?</p><p>Bilbo reconciles with the consequences of being a very improper hobbit and considers how much of his experiences have left him for the better and how much of them have left him a mess he can’t recover from. Gandalf did warn him that he would return to the Shire a very different hobbit than the one who left.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcdjby0AE28&index=2&list=FLV-4t4NJR_psPJ9_HRols3g
> 
> Unbeta-ed, (If you're interested in beta-ing let me know you would be most welcome!),Apologies for any spelling/grammar/ formatting errors. More will come soon, but i'm afraid soon is subjective. Sorry x

This is a story which begins with a home. One very different from a cosy hobbit hole though no less a home to those who call is such. A well earned and deserved home within the Lonely Mountain. It’s vast halls were lit bright with light and flame and deep in the mountain, in royal quarters lay three valiant dwarves of Durin’s line, deep in Durin’s sleep as they recovered from their injuries in battle and their care was attended by their trusted friends. They would wake any day now and be crowned King under the Mountain and princes accordingly. They would be dressed regally and hold their positions with pride and in time welcome their kin back into the Halls of Erebor. They would in the coming years rebuild their homeland to it’s former glory and return a prosperous existence to the surrounding lands. 

 

In another room not too far from those chambers a hobbit by the name of Bilbo Baggins sat by a fire which had long since burnt down to embers. A mug of tea sat forgotten at his side and his travelling pack tucked behind his chair. The room was cleared of dust and destruction though the air still held the smell of a long forgotten place. 

For Bilbo every dark corner he turned in this mountain held visions of fire and the possibility of orcs and goblins. He’d spent much of the past week, if it had indeed been a week since he’d lost track of meal times, in this room with other members of his dwarvish company coming and going about their business. He had not mentioned his irrational thoughts to his friends, he knew there was no true danger for him but that did not comfort the thoughts that plagued him should he step from this room and venture out on his own. And yet he believed he could overcome such foolish irrationalities if he could make it back to his own home. One a long way indeed from this mountain and journeying there would not likely be a viable option to him until the winter had passed. He’d woken up several times each night with his heart racing in his chest and as he curled around his makeshift pillow he cursed the fact that Durin’s day might fall at the last day of Autumn and with that brought the winter that would confine him to this mountain.  
A knock at the door brought him from his spiralling thoughts and with a quick adjustment to his clothes and expression he opened the door to see Balin waiting with a smile and good news.  
“The princes are awake,” Balin said and their was a cheer in his voice Bilbo tried to mimic so that his own fears weren’t revealed  
“I’m glad, do you need any assistance?” He offered.  
“I’m sure they would like to see you,” Bilbo nodded and made to close the door behind him.  
“And Thorin?” He asked once the door had clicked shut. It’s old locks had weathered the years without warping and the latch caught each and every time. Bilbo found a small comfort in it that he might hear someone entering uninvited.  
“Sleeps on, his injuries are healing fast though, he will yet return to us,”  
“Will all the injuries be visible? If his mind is...” He trailed off unable to find the words to describe his concerns. Thorin had asked his forgiveness while he lay dying in Bilbo’s arms. There had been no evidence of madness then but Bilbo saw such evidence should he close his eyes and doze for but a minute.  
“The Dragon-sickness you mean? It will only be visible once he wakes, if at all. In battle he seemed quite his old self if a little off balance for the whole experience,”  
“Perhaps we will all sleep better when we see them awake an djovial once more,”  
“I dare say we will,” Balin nodded.  
Bilbo followed closely just behind Balin’s though he knew the path from his room to that of the princes without guidance. The torches between occupied rooms were always kept lit though there was talk of them reconstructing the mirrors and clearing the high windows that sunlight might reflect in once more.  
Balin paused before the Princes’ room. They’d been placed together in the room adjacent to Thorins for both ease of care and a shared dislike of having to separate the boys.  
“They should not be made excessively nervous or excitable mind you,”  
“I’m only witnessing their recovery for my own eyes am I not. Besides if they’re both awake i doubt you could stop them from feeding off one another to that end regardless,”  
“True, true,” Balin smiled, “Go on in lad,” He waved Bilbo forwards and within moments of opening the door Bilbo could hardly suppress a smile to see both boys sat up in bed. They were throwing something between them which ended up in Kili’s hands as both turned they gaze to their new guest  
“Bilbo!”  
“You two are supposed to be resting. What on earth is this commotion?”  
“We’ve slept for days,” Kili lamented before throwing the small object to Fili,  
“Yeah if we’re not allowed out of bed we have to find amusement in something,”  
“You both have stitches in a dozen places each and your uncle is resting right next door. Should he not be given the benefit of a peaceful recovery as yours was,”  
“Is he awake? Balin and Óin wouldn’t tell us,”  
“He’s not, but he is alive, i’m told he’ll wake soon,”  
“Okay,”  
“And we didn’t hear that from you,” Fili winked and Bilbo felt he was once again within a conspiracy he wanted no part of.  
“Along with the answer to a dozen other questions i’m sure,” Bilbo crossed to Fili’s side and refilled he cup with water and traded it for the small rock he and his brother had being throwing  
“Only a few,” He set it down on the far side of the table so he would see if they reached for it again. Fili took a sip and Bilbo swapped his attention to Kili who quickly moved the projectile in his own hands to safety beneath his pillow. Bilbo narrowed his eyes at the boy’s grin.  
“Are the rest of the company well?” Fili asked from behind him as Bilbo urged Kili to drink.  
“A few injuries but yes,” He saw them both ease at the news, “I believe they’ll all soon be here too, I believe it is quite late so perhaps the morning,”  
“Is Tauriel here?” Kili asked, his eyes lit up with youthful optimism and Bilbo couldn’t meet them fro long.  
“No, I haven’t seen her,” It was true that Bilbo had not seen her since the battle. He’d heard mention that the elves were still residing in Dale but he’d also witnessed Thranduil publicly banish Tauriel in the heat of battle. He wouldn’t mention that to the boys. Kili looked disheartened at the answer to the question he did ask let alone the ones he didn’t. Bilbo pulled the chair at Kili’s bedside out from it’s place by the wall and dusted it off .  
“Are you alright?” Fili asked after watching his brother for a moment.  
“Of course I am, you think I would be coming near this chaos if I were not in full health,”  
“We’re not that bad,”  
“Yeah you’d miss us,”  
“I have missed you quite enough already, but Balin and Óin are right and you should be resting. I believe they sent me in here with some idea I might best persuade you,”  
“We’ll behave,”  
“Thank you,”  
“If you tell us a story, about other hobbits”  
“Sometimes I truly wonder of your ages,”  
“I suppose that shouldn’t be a trouble if it keeps you to your beds,”  
They both shifted in their beds and in little time at all Biblo was describing his own dear Shire and some of the very hobbit tales he was told as a child. His story wandered as Bilbo thought of how well his own adventure might fit amongst those stories passed down to the children of the Hobbiton.

 

Both Fili and Kili quickly dropped their act of being well and awake and in no time at all both were dozing. The door opened but a sliver as Ori peered inside.  
“Oh Master Baggins. Is it true they woke?” He asked, his voice low but hopeful as his eyes darted from one to the other.  
“Yes, though my storytelling has seemed to lull them back into unconsciousness,”  
“Do you mind if I stay,”  
“I will be glad of the company,” Bilbo gestured to teh chair at Fili’s beside, “Have you not been sleeping well either?” He asked When Ori had sat.  
“I did the first night after battle, not since,” Ori said as he reached over to straighten the covers of Fili’s bedding, “What story were you telling them?”  
“Oh just an old hobbit children’s story,”  
“We don’t have many hobbit tales, or much record of hobbits at all,”  
“Then between us we’ll have to rectify that in time,”  
“Does that mean you’re staying once the mountain is restored?”  
“I’m afraid I can’t say either way,” Bilbo said and found his gaze drawn to the floor.  
“We’d like you to stay,” Both Bilbo and Ori’s eyes shot up to Fili who was looking out through half lidded eyes,  
“Go back to sleep. I certainly won’t be leaving in the middle of the night in any case,” Bilbo said with a smile and Fili hummed. His eyes shifted to Ori sat at his bedside and from beneath the blankets his hand stretched out and took Ori’s. Bilbo looked to Kili and found he had not moved nor woken.  
“Didn’t mean to worry you,” He heard Fili whisper and when Bilbo next looked up Ori had both his hands closed around the prince’s. 

Bilbo certainly didn’t notice himself dropping his head to his chest but he woke quite suddenly to find Bain shaking his arm gently.  
“Sorry to wake you Bilbo but I am in need of sleeping in my own bed tonight. The boys here have Ori should they need anything and I was wondering if you might sit with Thorin,”  
“Has he stirred?”  
“No, but with his nephews awake I would like there to be someone there,”  
“Yes, yes of course,”  
Balin walked him to Thorin’s door and bid him goodnight and by the time Bilbo had shut the door behind him his desire to return to sleep had vanished. He couldn’t see Thorin from the doorway and Bilbo took the moment to take stock of himself before stepping forwards. The room was lit by the fire and apart from the bed, chair and table was bare. The room had been cleared for use and little else. As Bilbo stepped forwards into the room he looked anywhere but where Thorin lay and distracted himself by wondering how exactly These great dwarven halls might be decorated. He tried to imagine a hobbit’s decor in such a place and found it deeply unsettling.

He stoked the fire and moved the chair closer to Thorin’s bedside before he worked up the nerve to look on the king. It was unsettling to still look at him and not see his eyes looking back. Bilbo had been there on Raven’s hill and when Thorin’s eyes had fallen shut Bilbo could imagine nothing worse than that moment when the world fell away from around him and he was terribly, terribly alone. However when Bilbo looked up Thorin’s breathing was steady and that was a great enough comfort to him that he might voice some of the thoughts in his head.

“Your nephews awoke from their Durin’s sleep. I don’t know why it surprised me that despite their different injuries they awoke near simultaneously. We’re just waiting on you now so- so you’d better hurry up,” His throat felt tight as he said the words, “I know we reconciled, albeit briefly. I saw you free of the dragon sickness and I’ll remember that always,” He reached forwards for Thorin’s hand which lay above the covers and held it in his own. “I’ve made peace with my decisions up until now and I would like to think there are no more apologies due between us,”  
“Very well,” Bilbo dropped Thorin’s hand as if it had burned him and stumbled from his chair as his eyes locked with Thorin’s. The pause lasted long between them until Bilbo could bear it no longer.  
“I- I must go and get Óin,”

He didn’t waste a moment in getting Óin and then took his leave of the royal quarters altogether. The dark was not so ominous when his goal lay outside of it’s bounds. He took out his pack from behind the chair in his room checked the ring in his pocket and ducked down each and every dark corridor until he was soon at the front gates of Erebor. The sun was just breaching the horizon and Bilbo took a deep and shaky breath.

“Hey, where’d you think you’re going? You’re not leaving are you?” Bilbo turned to see Bofur stood in the doorway he had just passed. He looked sleep addled but wide eyed and Bilbo half wondered if he had an innate sense for members of the company hoping to make their escape.  
“I’m sorry but I have to,” He said taking a step backwards as though a hand might come reaching out of the mountain and drag him back inside if he didn’t continue to show resolve.  
“I’m not going far, just to Dale. I’m sure I can be of some use there until the winter has passed,”  
“You’re useful here, you,-”  
“No!” Bilbo’s voice burst from him and then his words seemed to tumble out of him into Bofur’s concerned presence, “No I can’t. Every corner I turn in this mountain I expect to be confronted by dragon fire, I catch a glimpse of my own shadow and I expect it to be an orc or goblin. I got lost not two days passed and ended up on a balcony and could only imagine the ground coming up to meet me had Thorin really thrown me. I could do nothing but sit and try to regain my breath for an hour because I lost the ability to stand on my own two feet,” As Bilbo spoke his eyes clouded with tears and he barely noticed Bofur stepping closer until his arms were closing around him.

Bofur muttered something in Khuzdul as he held Bilbo tightly in the hug. He let go as soon as Bilbo made to move away and both wiped hastily at their eyes.  
“Fili, Kili and Thorin have all woken from the Durin’s sleep now, but could you not tell them I’ve left until tomorrow?” He asked.  
“Yeah, yeah of course.” Bofur nodded, and with a smile Bilbo turned and stepped beyond the gates of Erebor, and started his trek for Dale without looking back.


	2. Chapter 2

Bilbo was welcomed into Dale as both a hero of Thorin Oakenshield’s company and an adviser to Bard, who had taken authority and responsibility upon himself without desire to rule. In the privacy of his home which he opened to Bilbo he confided he had no desire to rule more than temporarily but that he would do so until someone could do more for the people of Dale and with better intentions than his own. It was a tall order that Bilbo respected. However Bilbo could see how his background put him at a disadvantage. Bard struggled as his people did, the supplies the elves had left behind would run low in a few weeks time and Bard had yet to recieve further word of supply from any whom he’d sent word to, including Erebor.  
“This winter will be no tougher than any these people have suffered in Laketown, our reliance on fires, food and furs is the same as ever,”  
“Erebor will meet you need, they’ll need much the same supplies as you and caravans will be arriving from other dwarven colonies to meet their needs,”  
“I have already offered The king under the mountain the Arkenstone in return for aide. He will not have it,”  
“His lack of reply will not continue, write again to the Kings and Lords of Middle Earth, ask them to send whatever aide they can. By the time they arrive Thorin will have granted you what you need. He may still be recovering and not able to respond,”  
“It is a poor system when a mountain’s worth of Dwarves cannot respond to their neighbour,”  
“There are no more than fifty dwarves beneath that mountain currently. Dain only left those who were too sick to travel and healers for their needs,”  
“You have admirable faith in your friends, but I cannot hold such faith in place of my whole town,”

Even with rationed supplies Bilbo always found someone in need of his help. He had rudimentary medical knowledge, stories to entertain, he could cook and help with repairs. 

It was a month and a half since he’d exited the lonely mountain he never saw any of the company. Bard would mention one of them in passing or he’d hear of a dwarf in the marketplace but all he saw were of Dain’s army. Bilbo tried to push it from his mind that it was intentional, or if it was it was with no malice. 

It was on one of the brighter days of winter that Sigrid and Tilda rushed upon him as he was planning the setting up of the agricultural space and how they might ensure consistant good crops from the very beginning. Bilbo had thought of his own vegetables growing at Bag End. He’d wondered on the possibility of constructing some retainers on the rockier ground surrounding Dale to increase production. Glass panels could be used to increase warmth and growth which would be perfect for tomatoes.  
“Bilbo, Bilbo!” Tilda cried as she ran in just ahead of her sister who was carrying a basket full from the market, “We have news!”  
“Must the news be so loud at this time in the morning?”  
“Sorry Da,”  
“What is it my girl?” Bilbo asked,  
“There’s a caravan just arrived from the West and they passed right by The Shire,”  
“Is that the news or do they bring news?”  
“They didn’t hear anything of note from there but they are planning to head back before the winter pass closes,”  
“I was going to tell him!”  
“And i appreciate it,”He pulled her close and dropped a kiss to her forehead. She giggled and hugged him in return before turning to do the same for her father.  
“It seems you have a decision to make my friend, risk a winter here with us or risk the mountain pass so close to winter,”  
“I’ll not be a burden to you and your family,”  
“If you were I would make you aware of such. You can stay through until the spring caravans arrive if you wish,”  
“I need to think on this,”  
“The caravan has a blue arch on the canvas of the trailer,” Sigrid added, “and if you chose not to go you could always send a message with them. Let your family know you’re alive. From what you’ve said you left in quite a hurry,”  
“Yes, yes I suppose a letter might be the very least I send with them,”

Bilbo shuffled his way through the crowds in search of the trailer with the blue arch painted across it. He had in his hand a letter he hoped would find it’s way to his cousin Drogo and Primula. They might believe the words of a long overdue letter and keep an eye on Bag end for a few months more. Bilbo optimisticly hoped that he might return to only minor things missing and presumed in the possession of the Sackville-Baggins’.

He was minding his own business which is why when a hand landed on his shoulder with some force he was utterly startled and near fell as he turned with his attackers pull.

“What, I-” the letter fell from his hands and Bilbo crouched to pick it up without taking a second look at who might be accosting him in broad daylight in the middle of the market, “Well I never. Of all the ill mannered-,”  
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to do that,” Bilbo glanced up and came face to face with both Fili and Kili looking suitably apologetic.  
“Well, as happy as i am to see you both in such good health, you should both know better than to sneak up on someone and yank them off their feet,”  
“ I really didn’t mean to,” Kili repeated, he pouted and glanced to Fili for some sort of support. There was a sadness in both of their eyes.  
“Why’d you leave?” Fili asked  
“Yeah you said you would leave in the middle of the night,”  
“I’m sorry about that, but really it’s none of your business,”  
“but,-” Kili started and was quickly halted when his brother raised a hand to pause him.  
“So since you betrayed us,”  
“I did not such thing-,”  
“and we miss you terribly,”  
“Yes well I have missed you too but-,”  
“Might you owe us a favour,”  
“Now hold on just a minute,”  
“It’s only fair,”  
“No, no, no. Now you listen to me. I will not be bullied or strong armed into anything. There is no favour, thank you very much,”  
“You’re welcome,” Kili added and grinned, mirth in his eyes. Bilbo tried very hard not to comment.  
“But that is not to say I will not listen, and help if I can,”

 

Bard welcomed the dwarven princes into his home once again, though his apprehension was evident through his bluntness. Kili and Bilbo stood to one side once they’d all made greetings. Kili stood tall behind his brother and Bilbo felt a tug of pride in them both.  
“It’s customary to offer food and drink to the visiting party before discussions begin,” Fili started and he glanced from the nearly bare table to Bilbo who winced.   
“We’re not much for propriety. Has the king decided to aide us?”  
“That’s not what we’re here to discuss,”  
“I will discuss nothing until my people are safe and prosperous. The king has more than enough to help,”  
“He will. But we didn’t know when the help would arrive until word came yesterday,”  
“And,”  
“Please note that our own supplies from Lord Dain have yet to arrive and as such we haven’t been able to restore the guest rooms to house guests. There are however envoys from the other great kingdoms arriving in the next two days bringing with them prominent traders and caravans of supplies to surpass your needs. King Thorin of Erebor has received word as of yesterday that they will arrive the day after next is the weather holds fair, ”  
“I think I see what how you wish to bargain. But I prefer it in plain words if you may.”  
“Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thror son of Thrain, King under the mountain has offered to pay for all the food and supplies the new city of Dale requires from trades from the next twelve months. If you accept a contract for such can be drawn and signed within two days. He also asks that in a show of goodwill would you, the King of the New city of Dale, offer to host our imminent guests in return. King Thorin’s offer of provision and aide stands without your acceptance of the latter,”  
“Hosting requires knowing how many we are to host,”  
“There will be between eleven envoys arriving to the best of our knowledge. It has been requested they bring with them amiable traders. These people are often hardy folk and do not require the residences to the standards envoys and advisers tend to expect,”  
“I will need time to think on your offer,”  
“May I ask how long your decision might take? Not to be impertinent,”  
“If you would care to join my family and I for dinner, I will have you answer then,”

Bilbo, Fili and Kili decided to take a walk back around the outer edge of Dale. Bilbo tried to point of the repairs and ask after how Erebor’s own were developing but Fili’s mind was still on the discussions with Bard.  
“Do you think he’s going to accept?” Fili asked as the rounded onto on of the higher balconies and Kili darted to look over the side.  
“In some fashion at least. You’re certainly holding your own very well,”  
“Yeah, Balin made me recite what I was going to say before we left. And Dwalin gave me permission to knock Kili out cold if he started making faces to throw me off,” Kili chuckled and Fili stopped sharply to pull a face in his direction. Kili quick stepped to fall into line at Bilbo’s other side.  
“Remember that Bard isn’t high born so we are there to help guide him in the role of leadership as much as we need his help,” Kili’s wise words were Balin’s and Bilbo could imagine them carefully spoken from their source.  
“Hence the comment about offering food and drink,”   
“I didn’t mean to be rude about it,” Fili part scowled and shot Bilbo a look   
“You’ll be a good king yourself one day,”  
“Not too soon. I like what little freedom I still have,” Kili said with a smile as he elbowed Bilbo.  
“Who says I won’t send you to do everything for me,” Fili snarked   
“Are you returning to Erebor tonight?” Bilbo asked  
“Yeah, and we’re back tomorrow too. Uncle’s still under healer’s orders to be on his feet less than half his waking day,”  
“He still ails?” Bilbo had imagined Thorin keeping to his halls but being in similar health to his nephews who appeared   
“Enough to irritate him. When Óin forces him to sit or to return to bed to rest he argues every time,” Kili added and Bilbo retrunred a small smile. Stubborn and argumentative dwarves were largely healthy dwarves.  
“But his mind is well?” Bilbo asked. He’d had many nightmares of having Thorin stood before him and yet to look in his eyes was a hatred and dark greed that made Bilbo’s stomach twist and woke him from sleep frequently.  
“He’s not gold mad,” Fili said solemnly.“He won’t even look at the stuff,”  
“Had every last coin and jewel thrown into the vaults out of sight,” Kili added  
“It’s good to hear,” Bilbo nodded as he pulled his pipe from his pocket. He hoped the smoke would calm his erratic thoughts; after all company was supposed to be enjoyed.  
“You could visit y’know, He might not be able to travel to Dale but it’s hardly far for you to,-” Fili started as Bilbo tapped out the old ash and grit from his pipe on the bench beside them.  
“No,” Bilbo said firmly as he lit his pipe.  
“But,-”  
“No,” He said again  
“Bilbo!”  
“I can’t, I can’t even bear the thought of it,” He disliked the fear and desperation he could hear in his own voice.   
“What? Seeing him,”  
“No of course not, I have other reasons that are entirely not your concern,” He took a draw and tasted the rich pipeweed across his tastebuds.  
“What about the company?”  
“I fulfilled my contract,” He said as steadily as he could but there was stil a waver in his throat that threatened to betray him.  
“But you missed us!” Kili protested with a loud start..  
“Of course I did,” Bilbo looked up at him and saw in his wide eyes confusion and hurt.  
“And do you miss the rest of the company,” He asked at a more acceptable volume and Bilbo didn’t look away.  
“Yes,”  
“Then why won’t-,”  
“Kili, please” The boys paused an dbilbo didn’t know what words he could use to explain himself. He could barely think of the words to explain his feelings to himself. He stood and took half a dozen steps from them before stopping and taking a long deep breath.  
“Then what if you just wrote to him. Explained that maybe it wasn’t Uncle’s fault you left,” Fili asked and Bilbo could not keep from turning back to them.  
“He thought it was his fault!” He said in surprise and a cloud of guilt and regret turned once again, Of all the-,”  
“Well was it?” Kili interrupted  
“Of course it wasn’t!”  
“Then could you tell him then?” Fili asked  
“Oh bother, where’s my pen and paper?”  
“You’ve got your paper in your back pocket,”  
“Oh no that’s my letter to Drogo, my cousin. I was supposed to send it with the caravan that was in town earlier when you two turned up,”  
“You we’re sending a letter home?”  
“Yes though i’ve probably missed the caravan by now,” Bilbo said, half to himself, “ah here it is,” He sighed and flattened the paper out.  
“We could send it with a raven for you, would get there in no time. Wouldn’t get stuck in the mountains if the weather closes in either,”  
“Well thank you then, I’d appreciate it,” He glanced up to find both young dwarves looking at him with wide eyes and gleeful expressions. “Don’t you two have something to do other than look at me like that?”  
“Look, what look?” Kili asked in mock innocence.  
“No look,” Fili shared in his brother’s less than innocent expression.  
“You two are impossible. I don’t know how you get away with it,” He waved a hand as if to bat them away and began to write.

 

Bard did accept the offer of aide and made arrangements for hosting and housing the imminent guests of dwarves, elves and men.When the refugees of Laketown had first arrived many of them had piled into the cover of the old town hall that had needed only minor repairs to keep the worst of the weather out. All the families had moved to other houses since but the hall had been used as a hub for news and those in need of extra help. For the next few days however it was to be fashioned into a council chamber, and the surrounding houses cleaned to a presentable state. Bard had specified that the Dwarves would need to help with that and the princes offered builders and craftsmen freely. After discussions talked turned a more casual conversation of heritage and legend. Bilbo tried to concentrate on the flow of conversation but found himself profoundly tired and stifling yawns between mouthfuls.  
“Is it true that Dwarves are born of stone?” Tilda asked from beside him and Kili laughed,  
“You’d have to ask my Ma about that,” He said with a grin and Bilbo heard a scuffled beneath the table before the princes shared a look. “Nah, we’re born of flesh and blood like you,” Bilbo glanced to Tilda who was frowning down at her food.  
“Is there something wrong with that?” He asked,  
“But I’ve heard that dwarves can only love the one that was carved from the same stone as them. But if you’re not actually made of stone then it doesn’t make sense,”  
“More figures of speech, it’s rooted in our belief that the first dwarves were made of stone. But it’s also because men and elves often forget there are women among us,”  
“I’ve never seen a female dwarf,”   
“There are less women born but you likely wouldn’t know if you had. If they are outside of their homelands our women often disguise themselves as men. We are all born with beards and our stature is largely similar,”  
“So how do you tell?”  
“I’ve never needed to,”  
“But what if you wish to fall in love and marry?” Bain asked  
“Many don’t, devoting themselves to their crafts. If we do find our one, for we only love once, it does not matter if they’re male of female,”  
“Yeah like Fili, he-,” Kili winced as another scuffled could be heard beneath the table.  
“I think that’s quite enough questions from curious children for one evening,” Bard said and Bilbo saw him shoot all three of his children looks of fondness.  
“But Da! I had another one,”  
“Perhaps one more if you are prepared to clean up since we’re all finished,” Bard glanced between the princes who nodded and turned to Tilda.  
“How do you know if you’ve found your one?”


	3. Chapter 3

The next day Bilbo was wakened by a commotion down in the streets of Dale and as he lay there trying to get his bearings he heard some very distinctive and familiar dwarvish voices. 

By the time he dressed and tumbled his way down to the street most of Dale were out to investigate the invasion of dwarves carrying all manner of things.

“Mind your head,” Bilbo ducked just as a beam swung low and when he turned Dwalin was stood beside him. “When someone your size must duck you know someone is being careless,” He grumbled as he shot a look up the street when they could still see the beam causing people to manoeuvre sharply. Bilbo realised it was Bifur carrying a pack twice his side whilst he balanced a beam across his shoulders and two more sacks weighed down on each end.

“It’s good to see you again Dwalin,” Bilbo said looking up at him. Dwalin glanced back before turning fully and nodding his head.  
“And you Master Baggins, I hope you are keeping well,” He reached inside his coat and drew out a folded paper. “This is from Thorin,” Dwalin handed it over with a fond expression. “Oh, thank you. I didn’t expect a reply so soon,” Bilbo turned it over in his hands. He felt unsure as to what he truly expected from it’s contents.

“He seemed in good spirits this morning though regrets not being able to come himself,”  
“Does that mean Fili is speaking on his behalf?” Bilbo asked as he pocketed the letter.  
“Yes, Balin is preparing him. Kili is to be there also, and I shall be nearby,”  
“Less chance of inadvertently starting another war then?”  
“If there is, it will not be our doing,” Dwalin said as his eyes followed his charges through the crowd. There was the trace of a smile on his features.  
“Is the whole company in Dale today?” Bilbo asked.   
“Most, in and around the council building,”  
“Oh good. Do you have any objection to me joining you then?”  
“None at all,” Dwalin said as a small smile crept on to his features at Bilbo’s offer to join them.

The council building was a squat but long solid building of the same yellow-gold sandy stone as the rest of Dale. It was isolated in a crowd of other houses which caught the light in their windows much better. It had the air of a chapel with a circular window between the peaks of the tapered roof it’s only redeeming feature. It’s few other windows were thin and narrow and as it was surrounded by other buildings they seemed to crowd in on it and darkened it’s overall appearance. It was surely secure enough for political discussions but not a pretty building by even Bilbo’s laxest standards. 

As they neared Bilbo had spotted at least half of the company in and around the building amongst unfamiliar dwarves that Bilbo assumed must be Dain’s men currently residing under the mountain. Gloin and Kili waved to him despite their arms being full of timber and stone. Bofur gave him a toothy smile complete with tacks sticking out from near every tooth and Bombur swept him up in a hug that lifted him clear off his feet and then promptly asked if he had a stocked pantry here in Dale.

Behind him Dwalin was taking stock of the repairs both being and in need of completion but at a glance up from his notes Bombur gave Bilbo a hard slap on the back and ducked back inside the building claiming he was on best behaviour today.  
“Are the brothers Ri not here?” Bilbo asked and without looking up Dwalin pointed to the roof. “Ah, I see them,” Bilbo said as he took a few steps backwards and saw above him Dori, Nori and Ori sat at intervals across the peak of the roof each with a bucket into which they appeared to be throwing cracked tiles and bits of debris.   
It was Nori who noticed him first and who slid down a few tiles to lean from the edge of the roof and call down to him.

“Morning Bilbo!” He shouted as he caught himself at the last second with a hand on an uneven tile. His abrupt stop sent a tile from beneath him flying down towards Bilbo. Bilbo barely had time to wince and hold up his hands in defence as a hand caught the tile not a foot from his face.  
“Would you at least try to be careful!” Dwalin shouted back at him and received a shrug and dismissive wave of Nori’s hand in return. Dwalin tossed the stray tile to a pile of rubbish across the street. The commotion had however caught the attention of Nori’s brother’s.

“G’morning Mister Baggins,” Dori called next and Ori looked up with a smile and waved.  
“A good morning to you all,” Bilbo called back to them with a sigh and waved as high as he could manage.  
“How much damage is up there?” Dwalin asked when he had Dori’s attention and the dwarf cast his eyes around the roof beneath him.   
“Three beams need reinforcing at the least, and a dozen patches of tiles are too loose or broken to function when the storms roll in,” Dwalin nodded and cast his eyes over to the stack of materials nearby.

“If the patches are big enough could glass tiles be used like small window panes?” Bilbo asked and Dwalin turned to him and raised an eyebrow, “It’s just, the room might be brighter, that’s if they’d be strong enough against the weather,”  
“It could be done. We have the materials,”  
“I just thought it might limit the need for extra lighting inside and if elves are attending i know they prefer natural light,”  
“Its a good suggestion. Do hobbits tend to have a talent for turning their minds to anything?”  
“Well, I don’t know about that. The logistics of it’s construction rather escape me,”  
“That we can handle,” He nodded and caught the arm of a dwarf Bilbo didn’t recognise and relayed new instructions for the roof. 

 

Bilbo spent much of his morning in between making conversation with the dwarves with their feet planted firmly on the floor and the people of Dale who approached him to ask what was the reason for so much noise and uproar. Bilbo had been explaining to a woman that their chants were in fact a working song and not just a racket when a cry came from above them. 

“Nori!” Bilbo’s eyes caught a glimpse of Ori who was reaching into mid air from the edge of the roof and the flash of Nori falling from the corner of the roof and disappeared behind the eave of the building.  
“Look out!” Bilbo didn’t know who had cried out from below but he pushed past them regardless. He raced around the side of the building and pushed his way through the crowds until he found himself in the circle of a danger zone which had emerged around Nori. Nori had crushed the cart he had landed on and was swearing under his breath. Bilbo let out a momentary sigh of relief as he saw Nori struggling to shove the crates from around him. Before Bilbo could reach him Dwalin was at his other side and haphazardly pulling the crates and throwing them to the sides.  
“Are you alright?” Dwalin asked hurriedly and he reached for Nori’s arm to pull him out of the wreckage and to his feet.  
“Yes, fine. Get off me you great lump,” Nori snapped though Dwalin didn’t let go until he’d pulled his friend to his feet. “I’m fine, I had a soft landing,” He protested as he pushed Dwalin away though his effort was to little avail.   
“On bricks and nails,” Dwalin muttered, he scowled as Nori dusted himself off.  
“And a dozen knives no doubt,” Bilbo said, a chuckle escaped him that was more relief than humour.  
“And the rest,” Nori added with a smirk.  
“You’re not going back up there,”   
“I tripped, I’m fi-,” Nori made to move away and his legs wobbled beneath him. He dropped bakc into the rubble and immediately glared up at Dwalin.   
“Fine?” Dwalin asked one eyebrow raised as he   
“Yes,” Nori snapped back in irritation and there were muffled giggles throughout the audience around them.  
“No,” Dwalin countered and offered him a hand to his feet.  
“Yes,” Nori argued as he once again tried to push himself to his feet without assistance.

Nori didn’t win the argument and Dwalin had him sat outside the council building altogether as he and Bilbo measured and cut the glass squares for the roof. Nori didn’t seem to object to the work once Dwalin had left them to it and he gladly told Bilbo of how the life under the mountain was taking shape.  
“We’ll clear a new corridor of rubble and every time we find a dozen more dumping grounds full of dragon shit,”  
“Just be glad you haven’t found any dragon eggs I suppose,”  
“But can’t you imagine walking into Mirkwood to see those damn elves with a bloody dragon at your heel,”  
“It might certainly swing discussions in your favour. I can just imagine a tiny dragon sat beneath the table in Thranduil’s halls, breathing out fire upon his feet every time he says something especially rude,”  
“Have him dancing on hot coals,”  
“Smouldering the edge of his coat,”  
“I knew there was a reason I liked you Baggins,” Nori nodded and a grin had crept back on to his face.  
“It’s good to hear,”  
“Aye,” He nodded, “Master Baggins, It seems we are being watched,” Bilbo looked up adn saw Nori nod to a spot just behind him. A young child stood not a few feet away watching them carefully, her hands pulling at the edge of her shirt.  
“Good morning little one, Are you lost?” Bilbo asked as he put his tools down and turned to look at her properly.  
“No, Mommy said I could go play,” She picked at her sleeve as she spoke  
“This is practically a building site, not safe for little ones,”  
“I’ll be careful,”  
“That does not mean you will not get hurt, “Bilbo said.  
“Do dwarves eat children?”  
“He does, but only naughty children,” She stepped in closer to Bilbo as she eyed Bombur, “ Does he take requests? My brother’s not nice,”  
“Why’s your brother not nice?”   
“My brother and his friends keep playing with swords, they said I was too weak and little to play,”  
“You look big enough for a weapon to me,” Nori said. To Bilbo’s dismay as he glanced up he saw the dwarf slip a thin knife from an inner pocket. He flipped it in his hand casually whilst keeping his eyes on the child. Bilbo scowled and shook his head. Nori huffed and stuck the knife into the bench in front of him.  
The child didn’t seem to notice. She kept her eyes on Bombur as if he were to launch himself at her at any minute. 

“I don’t really want my brother eaten,” She said quietly, before all of a sudden switching her attention back to Bilbo and Nori, “Do you have brothers?”  
“I don’t but Nori has two, one older one younger,”  
“I’m the smartest though,”  
“They might argue with you on that,” Bilbo chuckled and   
“I’m also the best fighter,” Nori said with a nod, he dismissed Bilbo’s comment with a wave as he continued to talk tot he girl, “What are you good at?”

“I don’t know,” She shrugged, “I help mama,”  
“Every child should have a skill, would you like me to show you how to fight?”  
“Nori,” Bilbo warned but his words fell on deaf ears as the child grinned and nodded.

“Now knives can cause a lot of damage so you should always be in control,” Nori explained slowly, as he pulled the blade from the bench in front of him. “Can you fight at all?”

“No,” she scowled at the ground and shuffled from foot to foot. Bilbo wondered if he should wave over another dwarf whom Nori might heed the advice of but he was also intrigued by Nori’s engagement with the girl.

“Then you need to always keep your balance,” He set his hands on each of her shoulders and held her still.When she was solidly he tipped a finger beneath her chin and she looked up defiantly, “Be aware of your surroundings,” He waved a hand to Bilbo and around the street, her eyes followed his movement “And don’t let your opponent distract you,” He flicked his hand over her back and she jumped with a giggle.  
“You cheated,” She gasped.  
“You weren’t paying attention,” Nori said with a nod of his head.  
“But how can you pay attention to everything at once?”  
“With practice,” He smiled and picked up his knife to scour another line down the panel of glass he was working with.  
“But there’s too much,”  
“Tell me what you do notice,” He told her not sparing a glance to see how she responded to the request. Bilbo did watch her as her eyes darted around the street.  
“There are eight dwarves on,” She frowned for a second, “on my right, there’s two ponies coming up the street and the Master Bard is talking to that dwarf that’s taller than all the rest,” Bilbo’s eyes darted to Dwalin who had his arms firmly crossed and Bard looked like he regretted agreeing to anything involving dwarves.  
“And what do those things mean for you?”  
“I don’t know,”  
“Then think, what do those things you’ve noticed mean for you?”  
“Give her an example,” Bilbo suggested kindly. Nori sighed but obliged.

“If the dwarrows working on the building are occupied you can try to get past them without being seen, though it’s unlikely you’d manage it with eight all facing in different directions. The ponies might mean you have a distraction, or that you’ll have to get out of their way for them to pass, then you have to think about where you will move to, the wall,” He pointed to the narrow path left between the bench they were sat on and the wall on the next building, “Or you you stay in their way and cause a scene, or you go that way and end up in plain view of the whole street and everyone working in it,”  
“But if the ponies are coming this way i’d move anyway,”  
“But thinking about what you see means you can move yourself into the right position for your next move,”  
“Oh,” She didn’t seem to understand but looked around the street again, “What do you see?”  
“I see the weather it remaining clear and cold which means there’ll be few eavesdroppers on the rooftops, the street dust will leave tracks that can be used to track and follow a target or,” He nodded to Dwalin who the girl had alreayd pointed out, “I see a big dwarf with his eyes on my every move and that there’s little opportunity for trouble,” He paused long enough that the child turned back to him, “and I see a child who has the potential to be quite a little sneak but has much to learn,” Her grin spread and there was a glint in her eyes the Bilbo had seen in Nori’s own, “What’s your name little one?”  
“Jessica,”  
“Nice to meet you Jessica, I am Nori, At your service,” He tipped his head and she giggled and blushed. “Do you have any preference in how you defend yourself Jessica?”  
“My brother uses a wooden sword, but Da used to use a staff,”  
“A staff is a good weapon indeed, my younger brother had taken down hundred of orcs and goblins with the staff he carries,” Bilbo shot a look up to the roof but he couldn’t see Ori from where he was sat. 

“I thought Dwarves use axes,”  
“Dwarrows are heavy and swinging an axe with weight behind you puts you at an advantage, as with a heavy sword. Dwarves have the benefit of being able to pick up most weapons and use them with ease. I often use knifes at close range, as does Prince Fili. Prince Kili prefers a bow and my brother a staff,”  
“What do you use?” She turned to Bilbo,  
“Oh well i’m not really a fighter.” Bilbo said, he shrugged and embarrassment clawed at his memories of any attempt he’d made to fight, “My sword is more of a letter opener i’m told,”  
“Aye, but he too down spiders of mirkwood, wargs and orcs with it just the same. It is not the size of the person or weapon that will ensure your survival in a fight,”  
“Maybe focus on your balance and awareness before choosing a weapon,” Bilbo suggested.  
“Rubbish.” Nori snapped at him, “A child should know they can cause harm and choose not to,” He explained, “It teaches responsibility and forethought,” Bilbo couldn’t think of a reasonable arguement but stating ‘she’s a child’. It should have been enough but for all he’d seen in his past couple of years he knew children couldn’t rely on such innocence.   
“And how much of that have you ever learnt from carrying knives your whole life?” Bilbo asked, an edge in his voice that was was more stubborn petulance than he’d have liked to admit.

“I know not to threaten someone unless you mean it,” Nori glanced to Jessica, “That’s the most important one when you have a weapon on you. Never threaten until you know you can and will carry through with the threat,” Nori warned. “You’ve got to know your enemy and out think them if you can,”

Bilbo began to think he truly should have called over Dwalin or Bofur as Nori began to instruct Jessica how she had best stand to take and throw a hit. She listened and copied every move until Bilbo saw across teh street that Dwalin had indeed spotted their guest interrupting their work. Bilbo felt slightly more at ease to know that he was no longer solely responsible. Dwalin trusted that Nori was causing the child no real harm in his advice and so Bilbo continued to work believing the same. 

It was as Bilbo’s stomach began to rumble when he prepared to interrupt Nori’s instruction at the next opportunity when he spotted over his friend’s shoulder a tall dark haired woman coming up the street. Bilbo couldn’t hear her clearly over the noise of the Dwarves inside but she looked worried and concerned as she called for someone through the street..  
“Uh Jessica,” Bilbo caught her attention with a hand on her shoulder, “Is that your Ma?”  
“Uh huh, “ She nodded and without bidding them goodbye rushed across the street to her mother. The woman gathered the child up in her arms briefly before scolding her and Bilbo felt a wave of unease in his gut when Jessica pointed in their direction and the mother’s gaze fell on them.

“Uh Nori, you might want to put down the blade,” Bilbo reached across the bench to halt Nori’s blade and Nori allowed him to do so but watched Bilbo’s movements warily.  
“Dwarf or man?” He asked, his voice low.  
“Woman,” Bilbo said.  
“Crap,”

“You!” Bilbo saw both fear and disgust in the woman’s eyes yet Nori didn’t look round to her but kept his eyes on Bilbo. “You devious creature. You think it’s okay to threaten a child with a knife and then equip them to fight your battles for you? You expect to corrupt her and have her kill us all in our sleep?” Bilbo briefly glanced down and caught Jessica’s eye from behind her mother. She looked nervous enough for them all. ‘ This is how it starts’ Bilbo thought, ‘They’ll turn on each other and the brief moment of peace will be lost between the races.

“We meant no harm, she was curious so he taught her a little of how to hold herself and awareness of her surroundings,” Bilbo attempted to explain. The woman scoffed at his suggestion.  
“You are naive to think so halfling. You might be one of us and in favour with Bard but that doesn’t mean we trust your so-called friends,” She returned her glare to Nori who continued to watch Bilbo rather than his accuser.  
“We didn’t so anything wrong,” Bilbo said, his voice steady and calm, “I’m sorry we’ve upset you so,” He raised his hands to placate her but Nori’s hand shot out and stopped him.

“Now now Bilbo, you can’t reason with her,” He said as he stood and turned slowly to face the woman. Nori was a clear foot and a half shorter than her but she stepped back with a hand out to push Jessica further back also. 

“When a child doesn’t know how to defend themselves they lose their self worth,” He started, “To stand on your own two feet without anyone able to overpower you is a gift that should not be withheld because of petty fears for childish innocence. She’ll soon lose that innocence and you’re a selfish fool who’ll make her feel like she is to blame for it,”

“What would you know of raising children Dwarf. Don’t tell me how I should raise my child when yours emerge from the very rocks you hoard,”  
“Stupid selfish fool,” Nori spat out at her and Bilbo had his eyes on the growing crowd of men who looked to side with the irate mother and scared child being berated by a dangerous and aggressive dwarf. Bilbo couldn’t see any of the dwarves across the street and he wondered it they were keeping out of sight deliberately.  
“Please we only meant to help and keep her out of trouble,” Bilbo tried to interject.   
“You think her mother can’t look after her?” Came a voice from behind the woman.  
“No I didn’t say that,”  
“Bilbo, get down,” Nori hissed at them.   
“Nori no,” He warned but Nori had already frocefully pulled him towards him as the crowd seemed to get closer.

“Get down now,” Bilbo was shoved to one side and landed hard on the bench and felt the pane of glass break beneath him. A pain shot through his stomach and Bilbo winced but pushed himself back up to his feet to pull Nori from the encroaching mob now shouting between them.  
“You don’t want to do this,” Bilbo insisted, though he didn’t see just how they were going to escape the mob.  
“I am not accustomed to admitting defeat whilst my opponent wishes to outnumber me and silence me by force,” Nori growled  
“Did no-one tell you not to start trouble,”  
“Trouble is precisely what i’m good at,” He slipped two knives from his pockets and flipped them out before the crowd. “You do not want to test me,” He said loud and clear that everyone could hear him.   
“Everyone stand down,” Bilbo heard Bard’s voice over the shouts of incitement “We are not going to fight with the dwarves,” The crowd began to thin and Bilbo spotted Bard pushing some particularly difficult men from engaging further. He glared them down before stepping closer through he crowd. Jessica’s mother had pulled her away and disappeared but they was still a tight knit inner circle of antagonists who were eyeing Nori and his knives with thinly veiled contempt.

“Well that could have been worse,” Nori huffed, “I’m still up for a fight if you are,” He winked at the half dozen.  
“Cocky little,-” Two men on Bilbo’s right grabbed for Nori and their movement seemed to spark the others into action despite how the situation had otherwise seemed to dissipate.  
“Oh crap,-” Nori ducked to avoid a well aimed punch but not in time enough for another’s hand which grabbed for him. Bilbo’s yelled for help and threw himself into the mess trying to distract Nori’s attackers. He was caught by his coat and thrown backwards so hard he hit the wall ebhind them hard and fell tot eh ground. Bilbo could watch but only caught the sounds of yells and swears and bitter insults but Nori had been knocked to the floor and six grown men kicked and punched. 

 

When Bilbo tried opened his eyes a blinding light caught him unaware. His body felt weak and there was a ache that spread though his abdomen. He groaned but still tried to push himself up and found he was lying on a surface a lot softer than dirt and street cobbles.  
“Oh!” Ori appeared above him, “Try not to move too much, I’ve had to give you stitches to a cut across your side,” Bilbo could feel the sting now he thought about it, and the rub of the bandage.  
“Not too bad I hope,”  
“No worse than Nori,” Ori nodded down to where his brother was lying on the floor. A thin blanket lay over him and a bruise had darkened his forehead and cheek. “Does it hurt anywhere else?”  
“Won’t know til I sit up I don’t think,”  
“Okay?”  
“Yes, I think so,” Bilbo nodded to reassure him and he tried to remember what last he had seen. “What happened to the men?”  
“Bard dealt with them. Went against everything in us for me, Dori and Dwalin not to step in but Bard said that’d be more of a risk and he and another woman pulled them off and he says they’ll be punished,”  
“You’re not happy about it,”  
“He’s my brother, even if I suspect he started it,” Ori scowled over his shoulder at his brother. Bilbo suspected it was concern rather than resentment but he had underestimated the bonds of dwarves before. 

 

“There’s a poultice I can use on your side,” Ori started as he turned back to Bilbo, “ Its to reduce the chance of a scar and speed up healing but it might sting something horrible so I didn’t want to use it til you said you wanted it,” 

“Yes, having one’s only battle scar be from a street brawl is hardly hobbit-like,” Ori smiled and shuffled some herbs collected on the beside table. “I didn’t know you knew so much healing,”  
“It was the first craft I planned to master. The master I sought to mentor me wasn’t so much interested in training me in the craft as taking advantage of me,”  
“Oh Ori I’m sorry,” He reached out for Ori’s hand to offer some comfort.   
“It’s a long time passed, and I didn’t complete a masters in medicine even after I was offered a more professional mentor,” He said as he mixed several powders and leaves and tied them in a small burlap sack.   
“A scribe is also a proud profession,”  
“I enjoy it, especially when since we’ve returned to the mountain,” Ori ducked his head but Bilbo could still see the small smile on his face. “This will sting,” He warned as he pressed the poultice to Bilbo’s side. Bilbo winced and hissed as the poultice was wrapped tightly against his side with bandages. 

 

“Is anyone writing the story of our journey?” Bilbo asked as Ori pulled away and wiped his hands on a rag. Bilbo shifted his position as his injury adjusted to the new pain. “Its just i’d rather like to write it myself but i’d hate to step on anyone’s toes,”

“Balin and I will write an account for the archives but your perspective is your own and important. We didn’t see the same side of the Goblins or the elves as you, nor your first sight of the dragon,”  
“Neither would I want you to, I don’t think,”   
“Oh uh, this fell from your coat as you were carried here,” Ori took a thin piece of paper from the desk and handed it over.   
“Oh Thorin’s letter. I meant to write him back today.” He took it and slid his nail beneath the seal to break it. He couldn’t help but smile as he looked down on the looped handwriting. “Ever the dramatic king,” Bilbo muttered as he read the short few paragraphs. When he reached the bottom he ran his fingers lightly over the final words and signature. I hope I will hear from you again to brighten my long days, Thorin.

“There’s been a raven waiting on the balcony for word of your condition for about an hour,” Ori interjected and as he spoke the raven   
“Has the poor thing been fed?” Bilbo asked as he looked up from his letter.   
“Bard offered it some scraps and a message of his own but it refused,”  
“Definitely Thorin’s bird then,”  
“Would you like me to fetch you some paper?”  
“Please, there should be some in the second drawer there,”

Ori gathered the writing paper from Bilbo’s desk and he took out a spare pen from an inner pocket and a notebook of his own. The pair sat in relative silence, Ori at Bilbo’s side on the edge of the bed and writing on his lap until Nori shifted on the floor which was shortly followed by a moan of pain.

“Ugh my head,” Nori groaned and Bilbo leaned as best he could without pulling his side to see past Ori, “I’m never drinking again,” Nori said. Ori laughed as he set aside his writing and didn’t spare his brother a glance.   
“Not drink this time. What do you remember?” He asked as he stood and crossed to Nori’s side.  
“Falling off a roof, oh was I in a fight? Not swearing off that,” He said with a wince as Ori knelt at his side. “Where’s Dwalin?”  
“Here,” Bilbo startled having not realised himself that Dwalin was in the room. He was sat in a darkened corner behind Nori and almost out of view of Bilbo until he stepped into view. He looked down at Nori with an exasperated expression.

“Oh piss off,” Nori groaned and his head dropped back onto the bundle supporting his head off the stone floor. “Don’t shout at me just yet, I’ll appreciate it better when I can tell you why it wasn’t me fault,”  
“It wasn’t entirely your fault,”   
“What? How hard did I did my head?” Nori glanced to Ori who, though he obviously tried, couldn’t suppress a grin.  
“That girl’s mother was gifted one of your knives in apology. It wasn’t accepted but the girl picked it up so maybe you’ve got your protégé after all,”  
“Huh, smart girl that one,” He tried to sit up and with a grimace cupped one hand over his forehead and groaned in pain. Dwalin offered a hand around Nori’s back to help him sit up and Nori, once sat upright promptly turned his back to him and leant back as if Dwalin were nothing more than a book stand. Dwalin muttered something to him that was too low for Bilbo to understand. Ori shook his head, stood and crossed back to sit on the bed beside Bilbo. He took back up the notebook and pen to finish his letter with frequent glances to his brother.

“I was surprised to find you quite so willing to interact with Jessica,” Bilbo said as he finished writing his letter. “I suppose I’ve not seen any of you so fond of children before,”   
“Corrupting young minds is a noble pursuit if there ever was one,” Nori said with a smirk as he glanced to his brother.  
“Or indeed teaching the skills a willing mind wishes to learn,”   
“Sure, make it sound like noble pastime,” Dwalin drawled and Bilbo didn’t need to look at him to know he had rolled his eyes.  
“Have you finished your letter Bilbo. I’d like to send this bird off before a second bird arrives,”  
“Oh yes,” He folded the page over and hastily wrote Thorin’s name on the front. “Thank you,”  
“Why are you in bed?” Nori asked. He was still frowning and his head no doubt ached.  
“A cut to my side and a knock to the head, Ori won’t let me risk his stitches just yet,”  
“Oh crap, wasn’t me was it?” Nori’s asked and wiped a hand up over his face.  
“No, I guess I haven’t leant how to fall properly,” Bilbo said but Dwalin shook his head  
“Sorry,” Nori said and for once he even looked apologetic as he met Bilbo’s gaze, and then almost as soon as Bilbo saw it, it was gone and a mischevious glint had taken it’s place, “Next time we deny everything,”

“I’m not sure if that would have helped but i’ll bear it in mind,” Bilbo said “What time in the day is it?”  
“We have another couple of hours of sunlight, Ori will stay with you for the night if you are agreeable.” Dwalin explained, “When the envoys arrive tomorrow he’ll be needed here anyway,”  
“And you and Nori?”  
“Will return to Erebor.” Dwalin said before Nori could make a suggestion that was clearly on the tip of his tongue by the way he scowled “This isn’t the first knock on the head after which i’ve had to walk him home,”  
“But you’re such pleasant company, it’s practically an incentive,” He said as he elbowed Dwalin in the back.   
“Can you walk yet?”  
“It’s such a comfortable floor though,” Nori patted the floorboards beside him and shot Bilbo and Ori a look before pushing himself to his feet with a grunt of pain. He wobbled slightly and Dwalin caught him with a steadying hand on his shoulders.   
“Will the council building need any more work before the visitors arrive?” Bilbo asked.  
“No. After your... Altercation, Bard enlisted the help of some men to help us,” Dwalin said as Nori shrugged off his assistance.   
“All in the name of co-operation between allies,” Nori said with enthusiasm   
“There’ll be minor repairs and clean up tomorrow morning but the council and surrounding buildings are ready for the guests’ arrival,” Ori added.  
“Good evening Master Baggins,” Dwalin bid them and nodded to Ori.   
“G’night Bilbo, Sleep well Kiddo,” Nori said with a wave as Dawlin ushered him out of the door, his hand returned to Nori’s lower back to steady his balance.


	4. Chapter 4

Bilbo was still in considerable pain the next day, but since Kili and Fili had come crashing into his room at the crack of dawn to wake both him and Ori, Bilbo had had little time to focus on it for long. Ori had checked his stitches and Fili had produced breakfast foods from his pack that was plenty enough to share with Bard and his family.

After breakfast Bilbo accompanied the boys on their walk down to the council building that they might prepare to meet the guests. Bilbo was grateful he wouldn’t be attending if all the reminders the boys were giving each other were only the very minor points of discussion.   
“You will be fine,” Bilbo assured them. “You have a charter of what you need to cover do not allow your guest to stray from th etopics for more than a few minutes of so before asking how you might resolve their conflict with your needs,”  
“Why did it take Balin four hours to tell me that one sentence,”  
“Because Balin wants you to perform well in your royal capacity, I wish you well as my friend. As a prince far more is expected of you,”  
“I know!”  
“Then you know as well as I do that you’ll make your whole line proud,”  
“Fili look!” Bilbo turned as Kili’s excitement took him him several paces ahead and he was staring down the street. “It’s Tauriel!”  
“Is she here with the elves?”  
“Don’t know, there’s that prince elf next to her,”  
“I thought he had disowned his father and travelled north,” Bilbo mused but noone appeared to hear him as all four of them saw the two elves lean into one another and Tauriel pressed a kiss to his cheek.  
“He’s- they,” The poor boy was lost for words and Bilbo stepped up beside him and tried to turn him from his fixated gaze with a hand on his arm.  
“Kili it’s probably not what you think,” He said quietly.  
“She looks so happy,” Kili’s voice was barely audible  
“Pull yourself together Kili, you can’t just,-” Fili said at Kili’s other side but that seemed to be the very thing to snap Kili from his thoughts. He turned quickly pulling away from both of them and darting back the way they’d come.“Kili!” Fili called out but it was futile. Fili glanced between Bilbo and Ori.  
“I have to go after him,” Fili said his eyes darting back the way his brother had left.  
“Oh no you don’t, you’re job is to greet the guests,” Bilbo said but it was Ori who grabbed him before he too could disappear after his brother. He protested but Ori would not be thrown off.  
“But!” Ori tugged him sharply by the shoulder and Fili could do little but focus wholly on him.  
“If not you, then who?” Ori said and wrapped his fingers around Fili’s wrist, “He’ll be fine once he remembers himself,”  
“Look there are more envoys beginning to gather and you’re behind on your introductions,” Bilbo shot a look between Ori and Fili.  
“He’ll be fine, he’ll be back in no time,”  
“If he’s not come back in an hour will you find him?”  
“Of course, but for now,” He pointed Fili towards the elves who had made their way through the crowd towards them. 

Bilbo hung back as introductions and greetings were made. It was only as he gaze drifted that he realised Dwalin was but a few paces away, his back to a wall and taking careful note of all activity. He was clearly working so Bilbo was loathe to interrupt even to ask if he’d seen where Kili had headed. 

Across the plaza he could see Bard and Bain were making introductions to a group of men dressed finely. Bard pointed them down towards the market road and after dropping his had to Bain’s shoulder the boy led the group down the cobbled road. 

Bilbo was quite distracted by the various pockets of activity that he didn’t realise Fili had politely excused himself to go on and greet the next collection of visitors. Bilbo looked back and found himself stood beside Prince Legolas and Tauriel without sign of his friends. The elves hadn’t seemed to notice him but he’d barely taken two stepped away when he recognised their voices addressing him.

“Mister Baggins is it?” He turned and startled at his company including Tauriel and Legolas stood so close by. It was Tauriel who had spoken.  
“Uh yes?”   
“I’m afraid we haven’t been introduced but no doubt you know of us as we know of you,” Tauriel said. A small smile graced her face though Bilbo felt like he was being examined by them both as then looking down upon him.  
“I do, though I can’t imagine what you know of me,” He said before he realised that he might in fact be assumed to be representing the dwarves. He corrected himself and bowed his head slightly. “Bilbo Baggins,”. The pair nodded politely in return.

“The burglar wasn’t it?” Legolas asked. He spoke the word burgalar as though it were confusing and sour flavour in his mouth. Bilbo found it was very disconcerting to be looking up so far whilst being accused of such. He wondered if all elves of the greenwood had such obnoxious tactics when they approached alliance discussions. The dwarves’ disdain for elves was rooted in something centuries older than Thorin’s resentment and hatred after all.

“I don’t remember stealing anything from you,” He said and raised his chin defiantly. Legolas’ expression hinted at a smile yet behind him Tauriel hadn’t appeared to notice the comment. Her eyes appeared to scan the crowd.

“Thirteen dwarves come to mind, if the tales that make their way through the greenwood are to be believed,” Legolas offered with a smirk, “Though I suppose that was from my father, not I,”  
“If that were so,” Biblo started, a disdain curdling in his own gut, “I might ask how you conclude that dwarves can be owned, and subsequently stolen,” He crossed his armsand stared back defiantly.   
“Touché Master halfling,” Legolas shrugged as he spoke and it served only to irk Bilbo further.

“Hobbit. I’m a hobbit. From the Shire if you’ve ever travelled west that way,”   
“I have not,” Legolas conceded and before he could say another word Tauriel placed a hand on his arm in an effort to interject.

“I was wondering if you might help me Master Baggins,” Tauriel asked, she seemed to have completely missed or ignored her kin’s rather lacking conversation skills. She smiled kindly down at him and inclined her head, “I see that Prince Fili is here but not his brother,”  
“Kili is here,” Bilbo checked his tone as he replied. “He’ll be supporting his brother in the discussions later today,” IT wasn’t in his hobbit upbringing to prompt her for more, despite how he found himself wishing to pry after her enquiry of Kili.  
“I hoped to speak with him,” She cast her eyes down as she spoke.

“I’ll be sure to let him know should I see him,” Bilbo said and Tauriel’s small smile returned. “If you’ll excuse me, I actually promised Prince Fili I would track Kili down,”  
“I hope to see you both later,” Tauriel said bowing her head as Legolas barely nodded curtly beside her.  
“Good day Master Baggins,” He said and stepped away. Tauriel glanced back at him as they moved on and after glancing once more around the crowd for Kili he made his way in the direction he’d last seem him run.

With the helpful direction of a few women preparing the feast for the visitors he found Kili sat in the balistrade of a balcony overlooking the valley. The view stretched all the way from Erebor on one side across the river and to the Ravenhil.   
Bilbo stepped carefully over to him until he was stood beside him. Kili was absentmindedly pulling pieces from a bread roll.

“Nothing stops you stealing food then does it,” He said and Kili appeared to startle.   
“I didn’t steal it. Someone gave it to me. It’s still warm, do you want some?” Bilbo held out his hand and Kili tore the remaining bread in half.  
“I’m not a very good prince am I,” Kili sighed.  
“A little rough around the edges,” Biblo said and Kili looked up at him.”You do alright,” Bilbo shrugged.  
“I’ve left Fili to do all the stuff we both hate about being royalty,”  
“He has Ori with him, but I’m sure he’d like your support sooner rather than later,” Biblo suggested but Kili didn’t move. His eyes shut tight and he took a deep breath befor ehe replied.

“Ori’s his One y’know,” Kili clenched his fist as he spoke, “He’s known for years and he doesn’t do anything about it, they both just carry on,”  
“Maybe that’s what each other wants. Not that I know much about your dwarves’ Ones,” Bilbo said. He found himself picking at the bread in his hands much as Kili had been.  
“It’s supposed to be a fierce jealous all consuming love. The one to last until the end of your days. You see them and your whole world feels like the cracks in your soul have healed. You’re brighter and you would do anything to-, to do your best for them,” Kili’s voice began to subtly break and Bilbo reached out a tentative hand to rest on his arm.

“Maybe what you feel is different to your brother,” Bilbo said in an attempt to console him, “That doesn’t mean either is any less to the person who feels it,”  
“My One doesn’t love me in return,” Kili muttered. His shoulders sank low and he looked close to tears.

“I suppose it’s rude of me to call a prince a fool?” Both Bilbo and Kili looked up quickly when from behind them Tauriel spoke. She stood at the narrow entrance to the balcony. Her expression held that of amusement and then when Kili only stared back at her the amusement fell. She stepped further into the light and Bilbo saw out of the corner of his eye Kili’s hands fall to his lap, the remaining bread rolling from his grip to the floor.

“Tauriel,” Kili whispered as though he did not believe he was truly seeing her stood before him. Bilbo could see the welling of tears in his wide hopeful eyes and felt like he were intruding on their reunion.

“Kili,” Tauriel’s voice was soft and she stepped forwards with her eyes fixed on him until she were but a few feet between them both. “I apologise Master Baggins, it was also rude of me to follow you. Recently I’ve found myself more inclined to act without thinking ahead,” Her eyes barely lingered on Bilbo for a minute before returning to Kili who still looked up at her in a daze. 

“Are you here for the alliance meeting?” Kili asked, his voice awkward and raw. Bilbo saw him blink away his watery eyes and as he kept them trained on the floor around Tauriel’s feet.

“No, though I am invested in the outcome, I had other reasons for coming,” She said and Kili glanced up.

“I’d thought you’d be here for Thranduil. I saw you with the elf prince,” Kili still sounded resentful and Tauriel sighed lightly. 

“I can no longer call the greenwood my home. I raised a weapon to my king and am no longer welcome. Legolas too does not find home in our homeland and has been travelling north we both hoped that we might meet each other here. We didn’t part on good terms on the Ravenhill and I’ve missed my friend,” As she spoke Bilbo felt a longing for the friendships he’d let fall to the wayside. The Shire and his neighbours there were in his thoughts and Thorin’s friendship, Gandalf and the company he’d grown so close to.

“Where are you going next?” Kili asked. He looked up through hair fallen across his eyes.

“I don’t know,” She admitted and Bilbo saw her wince slightly as she looked up. Kili hopped down from his perch on the balcony railing and stepped close into Tauriel’s space. He caught her hands in his and held them close to his chest.

“Stay here,” He asked quickly, his reserve falled hastily to the wayside.  
“Kili,”  
“You don’t want to?” He asked, his eyes were wide and his expression open. Bilbo would not have easily denied a request asked of him, with a look of such care and asked in such a way that the world seemed not to matter outside of that very moment.

“Middle Earth has much to see. I hoped to see more of it before my days end,” Tauriel said though she didn’t withdraw he hands from him. Biblo saw he thumb trace a line up and down Kili’s own.  
“Then I could come with you,” Kili started, his sense of duty now fallen to the wayside along with his reserve and sense of manners. 

“Kili,” Bilbo stepped in, his voice low in warning.

“Bilbo!” Kili cried as Bilbo put a hand on Kili’s arm and pulled him gently. He pulled out of Bilbo’s reach and looked back at him

“No that’s enough. I told your brother I would find you and return you to your duties, and you’re surely overwhelming Tauriel with your impulsiveness,” Bilbo tried to rationalise but Kili stepped back shaking his head.

“I know my heart,” He insisted still holding onto Tauriel’s hands closely.  
“Master Baggins is right,” Tauriel said pulling her hands from his grip. Kili looked distraught and frightened.  
“What?” His voice was shaking. Bilbo and Tauriel both waited a moment. Bilbo waited to see whether the prince would calm his nerves or if his temperament would fray further. After several shaky breaths Kili levelled out his breathing and Tauriel stepped towards him.

“You are impulsive, and I will not drag you from your responsibilities to your kin,” Tauriel said, her words were careful and considered. “If you have time after your duties I would enjoy sharing a meal with you at least,”

“After the meeting?” He asked with more surety and she nodded.   
“Yes,” She nodded and the two shared a smile and Bilbo breathed a sigh of relief. He heard the bell from the square ring out thrice.  
“We need to get you back,” Bilbo said and immediately regretted sounding more like teh prince’s babysitter once again. Kili didn’t appear to mind, he nodded and he did not appear to hold anything Bilbo had said against him. He looked up at Tauriel, his eyes wide in awe and then a shyness overtook him and he glanced from the floor to the elf.

“Will you walk with me to the council building?” He asked, his expression visibly brighter.

 

Kili broke away to join his brother’s side once they reached the plaza where most of the groups were now accepting food and drink from the people of Dale. Fili was talking to a group of men and dwarves, Ori at his side. Kili slipped in at his other side, bowed his head to the guests. Fili grinned at his arrival and boy boys straightened their posture. Bilbo knew Thorin and Balin would have been proud of the impression they were giving.

“Thank you Master Baggins,” Tauriel said quietly to him. He had warmed to her presence as they’d walked. He watched as her eyes lingered on Kili over the crowd and her expression prompted a question.  
“I don’t mean to be intrusive but you still seem sad,”  
“Might I have your confidence Master Baggins,” She asked as she stepped out of the way of a group heading up the street. Bilbo followed her closely, “I understand burglars are typically discrete,”  
“My confidence certainly,” He agreed, “But I am no burglar,”  
“I am grateful,” She nodded and then paused looking over at the Princes and their new company for a moment, “I’m afraid to hurt him, both if I choose to stay or if I follow my plans to travel,”  
“Elves have long lives, could you not do both for longer than any man or dwarf?”  
“My fate has changed in these past months. I can no longer expect to live for a millenia,”  
“I thought elves did not ail?” Bilbo said and then huriedly corrected his impoliteness, “I do not mean tot be blunt but i don’t understand your circumstances well,”  
“I am mortal. I did not think it possible but for all I begged and prayed Ilúvatar took my immortality in an exchange. I gained something I could value far more in a shorter life,”

“I can’t imagine what a fair exchange of such value would equal,”  
“You look upon it now, The dwarf lifespans in return for one elvish immortality,”  
“You- you saved them.”  
“As Kili fell, the sight and feeling ripped through me like nothing I’d ever felt. I begged to every grace and power I could think of to restore that which would make him alive and whole again,” She smiled and cast her eyes back over the crowd. Biblo couldn’t see the princes from his low vantage point. His own mind drifted to Thorin and the sight of the Princes have just awoken from the Durin’s sleep. 

“I could spend my whole life thanking you for such a sacrifice,” He admitted, “When I saw for myself that they’d woken from their Durin’s sleep there was little I could say I have felt more from.”  
“I do not regret it for a second. Knowing they live makes my days brighter,  
“Then what makes you sad?”  
“I both want and fear to share my life with him. To tell him would put him I under a great debt, and yet if I don’t and I stay I cannot explain my mortality and lifespan. Then if I leave here I am drawn back here simply to see him,”  
“Can I ask something else?” Biblo asked. His inner Took longer for the story with all it’s feeling and yet the Baggins in him though the prying thoroughly innapropriate, especially in a public square.

“You may,” She nodded.  
“Why did you leave after you made such a sacrifice?” Bilbo asked, his bluntness   
“Thranduil found me after the Battle. I was delirious and weak. I passed out shortly afterwards hoping never to awake,” She explained. As she did she dropped her gaze to a point on the ground past Bilbo. “I slept for three moons and woke in Rivendell,”  
“My friendship and thanks are yours,” Bilbo told her, intoning his words with as much gratefulness as he could express, and then his voice dropped to a more sympathetic note, “though I cannot hope to offer you advice,”  
“And yet I feel better for having told you,” She smiled down at him. “My sacrifice was for selfish reasons after all,”

 

Once all were fed and greeted the Council room began to fill. Somehow, and completely without Bilbo’s agreement Kili had assumed he was joining them. Bilbo had been talking to Tauriel when Legolas had joined their conversation. When their attention turned to each other Kili had stepped up beside him and linked their arms. Bilbo had followed him leaving Tauriel behind without thinking about where Kili was leading him until the hush of the room seemed to descend around them. 

As he glanced back Tauriel and Legolas were on one side of the entrance steps and Nori and Gloin on the other. The doors shut with a resounding echo and suddenly the room seemed very small. Dwalin beckoned him over to a bench behind where the Princes would be sitting. Dwalin stood in the corner beside him and could see the whole room including if anyone should seek entrance through the main doors opposite. 

The tables were not in one long banquet style as Bilbo expected but in a neat octagon. Balin sat between Fili and Bard, Ori sat as scribe between Kili and Dain’s envoy’s. Opposite the dwarf princes were the elves of both the Greenwood and Rivendell and between the elves and Dain’s dwarves were envoys of the men of Rohan and Gondor. Bilbo noticed how most conflicts of interest appeared to be opposite each other on the table and he wondered if this was to promote discussion rather than petty side arguments which could avoid the dissolution of group conversation. He also suspected that raging arguments may have less casualties if targets were not within arm’s reach.

It was Fili who cleared his throat and began formal proceedings. He welcomed everyone sat before him with ease and respect. The prince commanded the room and even the elves who dare to mutter to their companions were hushed by their neighbours. Bilbo felt a pride of his own in how the prince was conducting himself. He recognised the contribution each group had brought with them to Dale and invited Bard to speak first on his people’s further needs. As he sat his gaze darted to Balin and the old dwarf smiled and nodded as Bard stood and addressed the group for himself. With the attention off him Fili darted a glance to his brother and both seemed to reassure each other.

 

From Bilbo’s perspective Bard and the dwarves of Erebor were the only parties making reasonable requests and compromises. Thranduil’s representatives had requested they be recompensed by Erebor for their fallen in battle before they offered any aide. Bilbo thought this unfair as the orcs would have gone on to threaten all. He was more surprised when Dain’s representatives also asked for recompense, though for permanent and prominent positions on the King’s council and a percentage of their population to be installed under the mountain rather than the white gems the elves asked for. 

Fili refused to guarantee placements on his uncle’s council and his smooth words soon redirected talk to the prioritisation of the safe return of dwarves who had previously called Erebor home, those who moved to both the Iron Hills and Ered Luin, the safe maintenance of trade routes between their kingdoms. He spoke of the great need of food and medicine supplies in both Dale and Erebor, and the need of seed so that both nations could begin the process of restoring growth to the mountain and the valley. His pride was evident as he spoke of Erebor and Dale becoming self sufficient again and increasing the prosperity of all nations who seek alliances and trade with them. 

He and Kili showed no evidence of of immaturity as Fili considered each voice and opinion to respond with reason and patience. Kili too offered sensible suggestions and compromsies as conflicts arose and supported his brother near flawlessly. 

For Bard’s requests Fili was compassionate and firm with the other leaders and the alliance between Erebor and Dale was clear. None dared pry distrust between the two as the prince argued for Bard to be recognised as the worthy and rightful leader of Dale.

There was however underhanded comments directed at the dwarves and the princes directly. Fili paused after each insinuation and continued on with a calm rationale whereas Bilbo was on the edge of his seat; his fingers curled into the bench beneath him at the sly comments directed at his friends. Nothing appeared to faze the boys who redirected every comment of greed and betrayal. 

Dwalin dropped a hand to Bilbo’s shoulder and he fell back a couple of inches to the bench. He’d been so infuriated he hadn’t noticed he’d risen from it. None at the table appeared to notice his impulse.

Kili glanced back at him and rolled his eyes when once again possibilities of dwarvish corruption and inciting another dragon to the mountain were thrown across the table to undermine Fili mid speech.

Bilbo tried instead to focus on Ori who was partially obscured from his view. He diligently noted down the compromises and discussions and Bilbo wondered how many crossings out there’d be on each piece of paper. He also seemed to be making a tally on a sheet of paper between him and Kili that elicited a smile or a nod each time it was added to.

 

Finally the sun dropped low and there was little more than a mauve-orange light filtering through the windows. Discussions began to resolve for the day and though there would be further talks tomorrow there were already letters being sent back to homelands.

Bilbo and the dwarves were the last to leave the hall and Dwalin shut the heavy door behind them. As they stepped outside Nori, Gloin Tauriel, Legolas were all stood much where Bilbo remembered seeing them last, on either side of the steps. Bilbo could not imagine an amiable word shared between them, despite the hours they must have stood beside each other and only a few feet apart.

Fili and Kili seeked reassurance from Balin as they stepped into the daylight until Kili spotted Tauriel and shot ahead to her side. She turned from Legolas and met him with a smile.  
“Kili,” She said softly,”  
“Your highness Prince Kili to you,” Nori snapped as he glared across the group to the elves. Bilbo cringed. After all the insulting comments he’d heard in the past few hours he found he was sick and tired of the pettiness and squabbles between the races of Dwarves elves and men. Deserved or not. It appeared neither did Dwalin who steered Nori by his shoulders and walked him away.

“You don’t have to call me that. Prince or highness or anything,” He shot Gloin a look when he huffed at the Kili’s defiance. “She saved my life. It’s not right to stick to formalities,” Gloin didn’t comment further but fell into step behind the princes.

“Bard invited us to share his evening meal tonight, all of us,” Fili said, drawing everyone’s attention back to more pleasant topic. Biblo wondered just how many people Bard had thought to include until the invitation, and how many more would inevitably now gravitate to the house.

“Don’t think Dwalin and Nori will be joining us for a while,” Kili said with a nod to the pair heading into a side alley and out of sight. Kili looked to his brother and Bilbo could see a whole conversation passed between them.   
“Will you join us Lord Legolas, Tauriel?” Fili asked. Tauriel glanced to Legolas who frowned but after a moment he returned pleasantries and thanks for the offer.  
“I think we should ask Bard before we are invited along to his table,” Legolas conceded. 

“Then why don’t we retire to the plaza overlooking the mountain,” Bilbo suggested, “We could set a fire to keep us warm and I saw a tea and pipe-weed merchant earlier. I could think of nothing better than acquiring some to share with my friends,” He saw looks of eagerness and relief in all the faces around him.

“That Master Baggins, sounds like a very pleasant prospect,” Balin said and with a nod lead the way for their small company.

 

As Bilbo sat amongst the group on the terrace there was a quiet merriment of private jokes among small groups who’d paired off. Bard and his family had joined them and Sigrid had brought down the pot of stew and dumplings enough for the whole group twice over. 

The fire burned in a shallow pit and just as it began to burn low Dwalin and Nori joined them with firewood enough to burn for several more hours. There was a chill in the air but it was nothing to the dwarves and with a few thick woven blankets Bilbo and the children were plenty warm enough. 

It felt decidedly family-like, right down to the animosity towards Legolas and Tauriel who had sat with Kili and Bard for most of the evening and only shared limited courtesies with the others. Bilbo leant back against one hand and drew on his pipe. With his other hand he pressed against the bandages around his side. It still stung when he moved and ached when he’d spent too long on his feet or sat in one position. His action caught Ori’s attention would moved over towards him and nodded down to where his hand hovered over the bandage.

“Bilbo, would you like me to check your side and change your bandages tonight?” Ori asked   
“Oh yes, thank you,” He got to his feet and the two of them excused themselves to use the privacy of Bard’s house. 

Ori was quick and careful as he undid Bilbo’s bandages with deft fingers. The cut was still sore and as Ori pressed at the area Bilbo’s whole abdomen ached like a deep bruise.   
“Have you felt any fever or illness developing?” Ori asked as he pressed gently around the wound.   
“No, the poultice surely helped,” Bilbo said. He wasn’t sure if he was reassuring himself or his friend.   
“As would a salve but I haven’t any with me,” ORi looked bakc at him apologetically and Bilbo waved him off and Ori continued to tie the bandages neatly.

“Do your wrists ache at all after a day of writing?” Biblo asked as he pulled his shirt back on with a little help from Ori when he winced at the stretch.   
“I’ve grown used to such work, but I have a bind I can wear at night to help. I brought three times as much paper as I thought I would need and I don’t think I’ve underestimated in the least,” Ori said as he handed Bilbo his waistcoat and jacket each as needed.   
“Most from crossing out contradictions I don’t doubt,”  
“Once they’re written up and signed they’ll likely be no more than two pages long,”  
“Do you have any paper I might use myself Ori?”  
“Who do you wish to write to?” He asked handing Bilbo two sheets of paper as Bilbo grabbed a pen from his desk.  
“Thorin. He’ll surely want to hear an honest view of how the princes are handling themselves,” Bilbo joked and earned a smile in return. Ori reached into his bag and retrieved several pieces which he handed over.  
“Can I ask you something Bilbo?” Ori asked as they headed back down to their friends.  
“Of course,”  
“Why did you leave? Bofur said it was too upsetting for you to stay. Was it us? Could we have done something differently?”  
“No, no Ori I-, My own foolish fears and nightmares,” Bilbo admitted, and whether it was due to teh good company, the pipeweed or the drink which had been passed around Bilbo elaborated without prompting. “I anticipated something waiting around every corner and it felt altogether too much to bear. Nothing to do with the company and much more to do with being thrown far from the innate boundaries of a hobbit’s sensibilities,”

“Are they very different from a dwarf’s?” Ori said after a moment of consideration.  
“Less than I imagined,” Bilbo shrugged, “but we’re conditioned vastly differently,”  
“We likely wouldn’t endure well in your Shire,” Ori said, a sympathetic smile offered Bilbo’s way.

“Boredom would likely blight you before your sensibilities were challenged,” Bilbo said. In his quiet moments on the journey Bilbo had considered many times what dwarves would truly think of the shire had they spent any length of time there. The picture had often amused and saddened him in the daze before he fell sound asleep.

“Were you bored?” Ori asked as they rounded the corner and the group of men elves and dwarves came into view. Fili and Kili had gotten up to their feet and were parrying with sticks, their royal duties long forgotten. Nori, Gloin and Dwalin were shouting advice to them and then both turned to bicker with each other when Kili lost his footing and fell backwards. Despite the misstep both still had grins on their faces.

“I’m not sure I knew what I was for a long time,” Bilbo said wistfully and the pair headed towards Balin who looked to be telling a story to Tilda, Bain and Jessica. Bilbo was pleased to see her again but though she had joined them, it was probably not with the permission of her mother. For the moment he didn’t care about any bad word to be said about these dwarves around him. They were, without a doubt, the best friends he’d ever had.


	5. Chapter 5

In the days that followed Bilbo was surprised to learn that Legolas travelled north alone and Tauriel chose to remain in Dale. She offered her services to Bard and his city in healing and fighting, in return for a roof and bed. She healed those she could and taught others to do the same. There were still those in Dale who distrusted the other races. Though Bilbo didn’t bear the brunt of most of it he witnessed others coming to Bard’s door with resentment towards the other races. Of those he heard many cited Nori’s contribution to a ‘dangerous’ group of youth who practised stealth and armed fighting in back alleys in place of childish merriment. There was no proof of Nori’s intervention but it was generally assumed. 

Bilbo’s own contributions could hardly be faulted; stories and hard work were not considered as corruptive as knife-fighting. There were however times when Bilbo wondered how differently their journey might have been if he’d had a firmer grasp of self-defense. Would, with a little more knowledge of stealth and self-defence better outwitted the trolls, and goblins, not to mention Gollum. Would he have sooner proven his worth to Thorin and the company, and might he now, be living under the mountain with a sane mind, warm feet and happy heart? Bilbo felt like a very small hobbit when he spent the stretching time before falling asleep staring up at the ceiling. He frequently imagined himself walking through Erebor’s halls without the shadows of demons following him. The longer he allowed himself to imagine the prospect the more demons his mind inserted into the image. If he could not sleep he would begin to see things at the corner of his vision and he might not sleep at all.

Much like Bilbo’s personal offerings, Tauirel’s offer was not refused and as the colder weather and harsh conditions set in many were glad of her presence. The wind hit the south side of the city and illness began to spread among the weaker among the families living there. The frail elderly and the children who continued to spend much time outside, hardening themselves against the elements alongside their parents and siblings. 

Kili often joined her every few days and his unofficial chaperone, usually Fili or one of the ‘Ri brothers, often preferred to spend the day with Bilbo. 

Bilbo felt the chill in his bones and missed his cosy fire-side seat in Bag end where a drafty sitting room would be a cardinal sin. The dwarves did not feel the cold in such a way and yet their furnaces had not been subdued since they’d been lit in defence against Smaug.   
Trade continued despite the weather, and small caravans carried products back and forth to the Grey mountains, Dale, and the Greenwood. According to Balin their trade quantities was growing steadily. The excavation of Erebor’s tunnels encountered only small hindrances, though he regrettably informed Bilbo it would be a long time until it’s splendour was returned. 

Bilbo spent at least an hour each day at his writing table in his room, and more when the weather turned darker and the rain fell in heavy droplets. Regardless of the weather each morning a letter would arrive by raven. He would accept it and then later each evening another raven would come to the window knocking insistently to be let in. It carried no message but would sit looking at Bilbo, it’s head cocked to one side and waiting for Bilbo to pass along a return message. 

Bilbo found himself rising each morning in anticipation of it’s arrival. He made sure to fill his day so that he refrained from taking out each new letter too many times a day. The previous days’ worth of letters sat in a cleaned out drawer and beneath his notebook within which he was writing the story of their journey. It made him feel better to know they were within reach when his nightmares plagued him. 

 

There was a knock twice on his door before Sigrid called through the door to him.  
“Bilbo! You have visitors,” He called back his thanks and finished the sentence he was writing. It had been raining steadily all day and he hadn’t expected anyone to venture out in it to see him. 

He seemed to have more visitors here than he had in the Shire and yet only the one small shared pantry from which to provide for them. 

Upon stepping into their main room his eyes fell on two very drenched dwarrows. Dori and Balin were most welcome company at any time; with an appreciation for food and tea and clever bits of news on each and every one of their friends.

“You’re soaked, and dripping everywhere,” Bilbo said as he bustled forwards “Come take your coats off and sit by the fire,”  
“Would you like me to start some tea for you?” Sigrid asked from the kitchen. Bilbo suspected she’d already started a pie for their tea from the flour on her fingers and the edge of her sleeves.  
“Thank you, my dear,” Dori nodded, “You don’t have any of that apple and ginger variety do you?”  
“Only for the charming guests,” She said with a smile shot Bilbo’s way. Dori passed his coat to Bilbo and bowed low.  
“You have my utmost regard my lady,” He said with a flourish only looking up through his hair with a courteous smile. She waved off his foolishness and turned back to the kitchen. She glanced to Bilbo who was helping Balin out of his heavy coat.  
“Will that be three cups?” She asked as Bilbo draped their coats over the fire guard and waved them over to the dining chairs.  
“If there is enough, please” Bilbo said after seeing Balin nod, “Shall I fetch some cake or biscuits,” He suggested though he needed no answer from his two visitors.   
“If it’s not a trouble,” Balin said with a kind smile and a nod. Bilbo ignored how he had refrained to choose one or the other. 

Bilbo gathered a fruit cake, biscuits and the last of a cake he’d made the previous day.   
“I don’t know whether it’s good or bad for our pantry that we have so many guests dropping by so frequently. And so many of them having Dwarvish appetites,”  
“Our pantry used to be largely empty,” Sigrid said, “It feels good to be able to invite guests to eat,”  
“Will you join us?” He asked. When he looked back at her she was pouring the water into the teapot.   
“Thank you,” She nodded and tipped her head towards the main room implying him to rejoin his friends. 

 

“What brought you to town today?” Bilbo asked as he returned to the table where Dori and Balin had made themselves comfortable.   
“Day off,” Dori said nonchalantly and as Biblo set down the tray of delicacies he watched it with a keen eye though he didn’t reach for anything immediately.   
“Didn’t think you had many of those,” Bilbo said. Dori shrugged as he reached for the fruit cake.  
“Bilfur was to join us but he was rather unwell this morning,”  
“Ill?” Sigrid asked concerned, as she set a tray of cups between them.

“Of sorts. With a lump of axe in your forehead you have your good and bad days,”  
“In his head?” Sigrid gasped  
“Aye,”  
“You should hear him play the flute. All the musical talent and mining knowledge a dwarf could want. Sadly talking and articulating himself is rather difficult at times,”  
“I’m sorry to hear that,”

“We also had business with Miss Tauriel,” Balin added, changing the subject, “on behalf of the royal house,”  
“Oh please don’t tell me Kili’s proposed,” Bilbo couldn’t help but roll his eyes as he passed each cup of tea out carefully.   
“You say that like it would be a bad thing,” Sigrid said and she and Bilbo shared a look between them.   
“He hasn’t,” Balin reassured them, “‘Cept for a potential courtship, but his duties to Erebor have begun to suffer for the distraction. We were asked to gently intervene,”  
“Did your discussions go well?” Sigrid asked politely. 

“She believed, rightly so, that our concerns must be addressed by the prince rather than her. Though his contributions to Dale have strengthened alliances,” Balin said

“She’s been kept very busy on the south side of the city,” Sigrid said setting her own cup down for a moment, “Illness is spreading,”  
“She didn’t mention anything when we saw her earlier,” Dori said. He glanced between Balin and Bilbo   
“There is still distrust towards dwarves in some pockets,” Sigrid mentioned and Bilbo hummed in agreement.  
“She might have not wanted others to think dwarves were interfering,”  
Bilbo added, “Tensions are still temperamental, especially those with children,”  
“My brother’s involvement in those tensions worries me,” Dori grumbled, “I didn’t believe he came here frequently and he certainly isn’t one to form attachments easily,”  
“I don’t see him here frequently,”  
“But the children all know him,” Sigrid said and Bilbo turned to her with a questioning look, “Tilda and Bane talk of him when you and my father aren’t around,” She explained and then turned back to the dwarves, “Still, I fear it will be some time before your race is celebrated here in the least,”  
“Well we are not going anywhere my dear,” Dori said firmly, “I am home,”

 

“Sometimes I wonder whether my home is my own,” The four looked up as Bard walked in his hair and clothes were soaked through and dripping.  
“Good evening papa,” Sigrid stood and greeted her father with a kiss to his cheek and offered him some tea. The dwarves nodded a greeting.   
“Where are the other two?” Bard asked  
“They were here at lunch, I think they went to help with digging out the low lands for the glasshouses,”  
“They need all the help they can down there,” Bard said as he stripped off his jacket and hung it by the fire. “Many of those ailing at the moment are the land-workers. Spending long out in this season is difficult enough had we not been so overworked,”  
“We heard that Tauriel was aiding where she can,” Balin said with a nod. “How many are suffering?”  
“No more than we can support, though we’re grateful for your concern,” Bard sighed  
“You needed be so formal with us,” Dori waved off the pleasentries. And Balin nodded with an accompanying ‘Aye. Bard sighed and sat at the table with them.   
“I’m afraid I don’t feel entirely cut out for leadership,” He took and offered cup of tea from Sigrid and then pulled her in with on arm for a hug. 

“If I ask for more help from the King under the mountain either become we become reliant on Erebor’s aid, or people will resent you further for your perceived interference,” Bard explained as he joined them at the table. “Regardless of my decision,”  
“We will wait on your word, but Erebor has healers and stocks of medicines that are recently replenished,” Balin reassured him.   
“I appreciate it Master Balin,”   
“How is Thorin now? Is he still recovering?” Bilbo asked, “He doesn’t tell me much of his own health in his letters,”  
“You appreciate he would dislike us discussing this in company,” Balin started, and he inclined his head slightly to the side as he spoke, “I pray you will stay between ourselves,” Bilbo, Sigrid, and Bard all nodded and Balin shared a look with Dori.  
“Oin suspects there remains fragments or pockets of poison from the white orc’s blade inside him,” Dori told them,” Infections appear to threaten him frequently and he drinks a draughts daily for the pain and illness,” His expression was mournful and Bilbo, not for the first time, felt helpless to offer comfort to his friends.

“That would be why he keeps to the mountain?” Bard said  
“Aye, His energies are focussed on his reclaimed city as I’m sure you can understand, it leaves little time for other matters. Hence the Prince’s involvement in matters better discussed face to face,”  
“Yes, and Prince Kili has been assisting with the reconstruction when he can. As for Thorin, it’s been a while now since I doubted his intentions,” Bard said with a courteous nod, and then added, “That is not to say we don’t have our differences of opinion i’m sure,”  
“It would be a shame to waste a lifetime of character building on his part to find himself around people who shared his point of view,” Bilbo said. Sigrid hid her laugh behind her cup of tea and Bard adopted a smile, “Not that I mean it harshly of course, but at some level I think he rather enjoys it,” He looked to Dori and Balin who both had a glint of amusement in their eye.  
“You may indeed, be quite right,” Balin said .

 

They spoke long into the evening. Bain and Tilda crashed through the door around dinner time, a childish argument at it’s height and soaked to the bone. Sigrid went to help them sort and dry their clothes before they ate. 

Balin and Dori in the commotion stood and retrieved their now mostly dry and warm coats when there was a knock at the door. Bilbo was closest and though it was dark and the rain fell heavily there was no doubt that another familiar dwarf stood on the doorstep.

“Nori!” Bilbo said and the hooded dwarf looked up through sodden locks of hair.  
“What on earth are you doing here?” Dori asked stepping past Bilbo and straight into his brother’s face.   
“Keeping myself busy,”  
“Is there something I can help you with Master Nori?” Bard called from inside the house but Nori waved him off as Bard moved to stand from the table.   
“Just here for these two,” He said. Bard stood anyway and gathered his now empty cup and the left over platter.   
“Then I never saw you,” Bard said turning away from his leaving guests.  
“Are you sure it’s wise to head out in all this,” Bilbo asked. He nodded out to the torrential rain pelting down. Waterfalls fell from every rooftop corner and fast streams raced down the road.   
“We’ll be quite alright. At least one of the bath rooms currently functional at the moment, Nothing better don’t you think,”  
“Oh, yes quite,” Bilbo agreed, though the thought of public bathing was so very far from proper hobbit like behaviour he couldn’t help inwardly cringing. “Well be careful,” He said, “Will I see you soon?”  
“As long as there is tea and good company you’ll always have friends on your doorstep,” Dori said with a smile and his hand landed solidly on Bilbo’s arm as he passed.  
“Now you’re sounding like a hobbit,” Bilbo teased and Dori smiled back at him.  
“Thank you,” Dori nodded, “Good night Mr Baggins,”  
“Good night,” He shut the door as the three of them turned the corner.

 

The rain didn’t ease over the following days, and neither did reports of the illness spreading amongst families all over Dale. Three days after the dwarrows’ visit Tilda woke with a fever and sickness that confined her to her bed and the next day Bain followed with similar symptoms. 

Each child tossed and turned beneath several blankets and thick coats to keep them warm when they shivered with chills. Sigrid had taken to sharing the double bed with her father and though she tended to them frequently she didn’t appear to catch their illness.

Tauriel dropped in when she heard of their plight. She whispered soothing words as she pressed a damp cloth to their burning foreheads and Bilbo saw their expressions ease into sleep. She admitted that she could ease their symptoms enough that they could sleep better, but little else. She suggested they drink plenty of water and eat something plain to settle their stomachs when they could. 

“I can’t cure them and my last bottle of medicine to ease the symptoms was used last night.” She said quietly to Bilbo once they were out of hearing range, “At the rate it’s spreading now I feel like there’s little I can do,” She looked tired and Bilbo wondered if she’d slept at all in the past week. He hair was tied in a simple and frayed braid at her back and her hands looked raw as she towelled them dry.

“An elderly man on the lower side of the city passed away last night because of this,”  
“Could you not ask the dwarves for help?” Bilbo asked “They say they have healers and medicine at our disposal,”  
“I suggested it to a father yesterday and he threw me out of the house shouting obscenities and that ‘no dwarf poison would come into his house’,” She sighed and glanced the the still heavily falling rain she would soon venture out in again.

“Did you tell him he was a fool?” Bilbo said. He was astonished that anyone could hold such bias’ when their family were suffering, “Would they no rather their loved ones be healthy?”

“My associations are already challenged,” she said with a grimace, “I’m not as welcome here as you are Bilbo. If I were disrespectful to the family wishes, I may not have a home here in Dale at all,”

“I’ll talk to Bard. Its ridiculous; To allow people to suffer when help is within our eyesight,” When he glanced out of the window he could only see the faint outline of the mountain through the thick cloud. “Well, if it were not raining so,”   
“I pray the illness will pass when the weather changes,” She said quietly as she sipped her tea.  
“Did you plan to stay in Dale long past the end of winter?” He asked and poured her some more tea without asking. With how busy she’d been and the weather he could scarcely imagine her having an excuse to stop for a moment.

“For now I plan to travel when the weather is fair, come spring. Kili and I have reasoned something of a compromise, I will travel when and where I like, but my home will be here as long as he wishes me to return to him,”She smiled to hersefl and her eyes looked far away as she spoke.  
“From what I’ve learned, dwarves are possessive of their Ones,” Bilbo said as he pressed the refilled mug into her hands.  
“As are elves. We love only once but with long lives to share elves often spends periods away from one another. We promise to reunite and never forsake their bond,” She explained as she held the mug in both hands and close to her chest relishing the warmth. 

“This gives us both a chance to complete our heart’s desires,” She said softly.   
“You to see as much of Middle Earth as possible, and he to love you and his duties both,”  
“And he hopes to travel with me, when Erebor is established and prosperous,” She smiled at the thought and Bilbo felt a warmth in his chest from knowing them both happy.

 

The door had not been shut behind Tauriel for a minute before Bard returned. There was concern in his eyes and he immediately headed for the children’s room.   
“They’re sleeping,” Bilbo said quietly as Bard reached the door. He nodded to Bilbo but cracked the door open a few inches to glance in on them regardless.

“Did something happen?” Bard asked as he watched them through the crack in the door.

“They’re okay, for now at least. Tauriel was just passing and heard they were unwell,” Biblo explained and Bard’s shoulder’s dropped minutely as he watched them.  
“She has no medicine left, the families she’s spoken to have refused to ask the dwarves for aide,” Bilbo said. Bard nodded as he spoke, clearly having had heard similar views himself.  
“As have the people I’ve spoken to today,” He said, facing Bilbo as he spoke but he kept his voice hushed, “but the elves will not be here for days more even if they have the medicine we need and receive my letter in a timely manner,” Bard said. He ran a hand through his hair and turned back to his children.

“I have an idea actually,” Bilbo started, and Bard shut the door to in favour of giving Bilbo his full attention, “For getting aide into Dale from Erebor without explicitly pressuring your people into accepting their help,” Bard nodded and then gestured towards the main table. They each took a seat and Bard drew his hands together under his chin and facing Bilbo fully.   
“Tell me what you need,” 

Bard excused himself to cook a light broth for the children when they woke and he did not leave their side for the rest of the night. After sharing dinner with him and Sigrid, Bilbo excused himself to his own room and set into writing, and when the raven tapped at his window he handed over two letters; one addressed to Thorin, and one to the King under the mountain.

Bilbo didn’t know what he would see come of his efforts. A day passed without any letter at all and Bilbo left his window open all day despite the continuing rain and near freezing temperature in hope that a raven might appear at any minute. He lay awake that night and his thoughts spiralled with fear he had issued a slight to Thorin in addressing Dale’s need to him. 

His separate letter had been formal and he’d tried his best to keep from using emotional draws or any manipulation which would be in poor taste. Still, in the dead of night Bilbo could only think of every reason the request was a mixture of improper and more than a friend should ask for. Thorin surely could help, but he didn’t have to. Bilbo hugged his pillow close and found he could justify Thorin’s silence in reply.

 

When he woke an eerie bright light coming through his window and the skies had cleared. A layer of snow covered every rooftop and street. It looked positively ethereal with steam rising in thin wisps from chimneys scattered over the city. Every last leaf had fallen from the scarce trees that clawed their way up through the houses and whose branches erupted over the rooftops. The frost had left a layer of silver over the ground where the snow had not reached and left it’s own inch high layer of white over every tiled roof and cobbled street.

The air was clear and the image of the lonely mountain was crisp and snow covered too though as Bilbo’s gaze lingered he noticed a dark trail marked out a path from it’s gates. As Bilbo concentrated he realised the trail was in fact a caravan of dwarves on the road from Erebor to Dale. Bilbo watched from inside the window as the trail moved across the open lands. 

 

Bilbo dressed quickly and woke Bard with the news. He’d slept at the children’s bedside and the crease of their blankets still left an imprint across his cheek.  
“You’re sure this will be their response,”Bard asked, “So soon?”  
“We should begin to move poeple anyway,” Bilbo suggested, “If this is not aide it will still be better to have all those affected in one place when aide does come. Each family keeping their home warm will be difficult and costly to them. Bring them together and offer them hope,” Bilbo had kept a steady voice throughout but as he glanced past Bard to the children’s room. Bain’s face peeked from the covers. There was a furrow in his brow and a glean of sweat across his forehead he stared out towards Bilbo. He didn’t look like he was actually seeing anything at all.

 

Bard left to prepare the council building as Sigrid and Bilbo encouraged Tilda and Bain to wake and dress. They both seemed to brighten somewhat at the sight of snow outside and when they’d washed they could walk with only some shaking and a steady hand from Bilbo or Sigrid kept their balance. Tilda felt sick at the thought of eating but both ate a small amount of toast before they left.

 

Bilbo helped Bain as he walked and Sigrid held her sister in her arms. There was the echo of noise through teh streets and Bard had gone house to house on his way to the council room to encourage people out of their houses. Several more people beside them were coming out of their houses for both wonder at the snow and curiosity of the echoes of movement and people. The streets that had been more similar to rushing streams than footways for two weeks now were slippery with the ice and trodden snow but that didn’t dissuade people from stepping outside. 

As they neared the council building Bilbo saw the door half open but no sign of Bard. A crowd surrounded the street and steps below and further up the street a low rumble of dwarfish voices could be heard. He and Sigrid pushed through the crowd largely ignored and when they managed to get their charges settled inside on low canvas beds Bilbo turned to head back outside.

From the top of the council hall’s stairs he could see Bard but he was a long way separated from the dwarves and looked to be detained. 

Bilbo side stepped his way through the crowd but people were pressing in all around him and yells began to spring up in anguish from either side. Bilbo suddenly felt the crowd compact around him and his chest tightened in anticipation of the tension overheating and him caught in the middle of it. He was jostled but kept on going until he could see and hear the dwarves better. 

He was jostled again and the shove knocked him off balance and he only just caught himself.   
“Oh for goodness sake,” He shouted to no one but himself and he scrambled back to his feet and shoved back anyone else who stood in his way between him and the line of dwarves.

“We don’t want you help, you’re the ones who’ve probably caused this anyway. You want us out of our homes so that you can have the mountain and Dale all for yourselves,”  
“You’ve got to be joking,” Bilbo muttered and cleared his throat and he stepped into the seemingly neutral ground between the men and dwarves. It felt like more of a danger zone. 

“That is enough!” He yelled and the spokesman startled, as did those around him, “Don’t you think?” He said at a more reasonable volume. “ Have you seen this illness hurt your family? Your friends, anyone at all?”  
“What would a dwarf know about the illness of Men, unless they caused it. Either way I want none of their help,” The man shouted and he glared over Bilbo’s head to the dwarves behind.  
“Then you might appreciate the idea that they will have nothing to do with you. Others though might need and appreciate their help. Do you not think it is each any every man and woman’s choice to accept help if they choose. Lord Bard for example has children of his own, they are sick and Lady Tauriel has run herself ragged helping all those she can,”

The man opened his mouth to counter Bilbo again but Bilbo turned away from him and cut him off without a second thought. 

“Now listen here,” Bilbo shouted to the rest of teh crowd of men and women, “If you do have family who are ill, either you can seek aid here, or you can look after your own within your own home,” Bilbo said firmly and the man appeared to be shocked at the small hobbit in front of him being quite so forceful. “Either way get out of these dwarrows’ way, so they can help those who have the common sense to accept help when they need it,”  
“You’ve always been one of them anyway, you probably set the illness amongst us so they could have an excuse to occupy our homes,”  
“Your imagination is a credit to you, but you are a fool to it,” Biblo said dryly. His anger had dissipated, “These dwarves are here as healers not invaders and,” He paused and beckoned the dwarves forwards. The crowd parted as they pressed forwards, “And anyone with a bit of common decency might call on their neighbours to see if they too need any help,”  
“They’re not welcome here,” The man said, his voice to quiet now to reach more than a close circle of the crowd behind him.   
“Will you go away,” Bilbo snapped. He was tired of this man and his so called army’s worth of support stood behind him muttering amongst themselves. 

“They were invited here and they’ve got a damn sight better knowledge of healing than you or I have I’m sure,” Bard said. He nodded to the dwarves as he made his way to Bilbo’s side.  
“Now will you please leave,” Bilbo said with finality and then he turned to the dwarves, “Thank you for coming,”  
“No trouble at all Mister Baggins,” Said a dwarf he didn’t recognise but it was little surprise he as a hobbit was recognisable.  
“Set up in the council room. We’ve set down beds and lit fires,” He explained and began to lead the Dwarves through the crowd of men who parted for them like they were indeed carrying the plague to the town. 

 

The dwarves filed past them both he and Bard and Bilbo felt a moment of relief.   
“Now I think someone should find Tauriel. If anyone knows who needs this help most it will be her,” Bilbo said as the hall began to fill with both dwarfs and men.  
“I hope you understand I’d like to stay with my children now,” Bard said quietly and Biblo’s eyes darted over to where Bain and Tilda were huddled beside their sister in the corner of the room.   
“Of course, yes,” He agreed, “I’ll search her out, if she is not already on her way,” He then glanced back outside where there were still a few small groups lingering in the street. 

“If anyone should have any more problems blame it solely on me, I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed having it out with someone so clearly wrong. It rather reminds me of my dear Lobelia,”  
“You are welcome to them, Or perhaps I should let them face down Dwalin. He looks particularly stoic today,” Bard pointed to Balin, Dwalin and Óin making their way towards them. The small group was the last of the dwarves to arrive. All three nodded to Bilbo and cast their eyes around the room before wordlessly separating to go to work. 

Bilbo took his opportunity to disappear in search of Tauriel before he could be cornered. After a a multitude of poor nights sleep he was entirely disinclined to confront his insecurities, primarily those concerning dwarves. Dwalin caught his arm never the less as he was almost out of the door and pressed a letter into his hand.   
“He’s asked me to pass along his regrets, laddie,”  
“Regrets?”  
“I assumed you’d know what he was talking about,” Dwalin waved off his concern. “You’re not suffering from any illness’ of men are you?”  
“Oh no, just worry,” Bilbo said hurriedly and began to step away again  
“If we can help...” Dwalin started.  
“I’m grateful, I am,” He assured Dwalin but the dwarf seemed unmoved, if slightly confused.   
“Don’t need thanks from a friend,” He said abruptly and Bilbo thought he was holding something back. He waited for Dwalin to explain but the dwarf seemed to be waiting for him to do the same. He cleared his throat awkwardly and nodded in the direction he’d been headed.  
“I need to go, but I’ll be back later,” He trailed off, his eyes darting out across the snow covered city.  
“We’ve all got work to do,” Dwalin nodded, and turned back to the growing number of sick and Bilbo stepped quickly down the steps glancing back as he went.

Bilbo barely waited until he’d turned the first corner before tearing the seal from the letter. The handwriting looked shakier than usual but it’s long flowing script was familiar. 

_My dear friend,_  
I understand why you might have felt the need to request the help of Erebor in a separately worded letter but I would have you know that help would be given to you of any amount you requested, for any need, were it within our power of us in your debt.   
It seems many ail in this season as our most truest raven friend is suffering from flying so much in the recent weather.- 

Biblo felt somewhat reassured as Thorin went on to explain his concerns for Kili’s attention span, and Fili in regards to him taking on too much as a means of distraction. He wrote of his hopes for the returning health of Dale’s population. The added anecdote of his own sister being caught ill but once in their childhood made him chuckle to himself. Thorin had found her utterly unbearable with demands for his attention and servitude, justifying turning him into her slave by deciding his attention would make her get better quicker. 

Bilbo remembered pulling a similar trick in his childhood with his mother, claiming that strawberries picked fresh from the garden would cure him with out a doubt. She’d obliged though she no doubt known exactly his plan. Since he’d been confined to his bed at the time he’d felt pretty sorry for himself at the time. 

When Tilda and Bain had first begun to feel ill they’d asked for warm milk and biscuits. Their faced had paled but for the dim firelight and Bilbo had been loathe to deny them anything as they shivered under their layers of blankets side by side.

He slid the letter into one of the inside pockets of his coat and continued on in his search of Tauriel.   
The elf he found was down on the field planes to the south of the city. Before the rain had become quite so heavy, the people of Dale had been digging the ground in preparation of constructing glasshouses, to increase their production of food. 

Tauriel was stooped low, her hand grasping at thin weeds that crept up through the frost covered ground.  
“Mister Baggins,” She greeted him kindly, “Do I take it your interference has seen fruition this morning,” She still looked tired and worn but there was more hope in her expression than when he had last seen her.  
“The dwarves are here with enough medicine for all, and certainly enough for those who will accept it,”  
“I’m glad, and I also believe I know where the illness began, do you recognise this plant?”  
“Not a native of the Shire i’m afraid.”  
“This is Ranceweed, It lowers a person’s immune system if the sap comes into contact with their skin or if it’s consumed. With so many people working out here and then going home to their families it’s easy to see how this might have allowed an illness such as this to take root,”  
“And as more people became ill others came out here to help in their place,” Biblo said as the pieces began to fit in his mind’s eye.   
“The young and the old may have been more susceptible to it,” She explained, “I don’t remember seeing the like in Laketown so perhaps the younger generation never came into contact with it, nor built up a resistance to it or had knowledge of it’s affects,”  
“Glovemakers will surely have their purses grow in the coming weeks,” Bilbo said. He looked down at the little weed; small and insignificant, until ignorance of it nearly brings down a whole city of people.  
“You may be right,” Tauriel said, plucking it from the roots and placing on in her pocket. “But for now we must deal with the affects and leave the cause until there are enough healthy men to listen,”


	6. Chapter 6

All day a steady stream of people filled the halls, some taking up the beds and seats along the walls. Some sought help and advice before they returned to the comfort of home. Tauriel briefly collected supplies and continued to visit those in need all over the city; those who couldn’t or wouldn’t visit the dwarves for help. 

“I wonder if you see how truly valuable you are Master Baggins,” Bard said. Bilbo looked up and saw a great pride and fondness in his eyes as Bard looked across the hall filled with those recovering their health.

“As valuable as anyone else trying to do their best I’d imagine,”  
“The cure has been well taken by most,” Balin said as he approached them both, “A few are reluctant but they’ll soon see it’s effects on their neighbours,”  
“There was enough for everyone?” Bilbo asked.  
“Aye, everyone in Dale.” Balin nodded but Bilbo noted he still looked concerned. The dwarf glanced to Bard, “Would you grant us a minute of privacy?”  
“Of course,” Bard nodded, “I will see to my own, excuse me,” He pressed his way past two dwarf healers talking to a young father. The child in his arms was crying out in pain. Balin turned and nodded his head for Bilbo to follow him away from the child’s noise. 

“Such a potion was a trifle to make in such circumstances. Everyone in Erebor who could be spared was out on the mountainside to collect the plants from dusk until dawn yesterday,”  
“There is not a sole here not grateful for that,” Bilbo said though he didn’t know why Balin was telling him this particular fact, “Truly,”  
“We’ve also brought with us and used most of our stocks of medicine under the mountain,”  
“Lets hope we won’t need it again soon,”  
“Thorin has needed it,” Balin told him. The dwarf frowned and though it took Bilbo a moment to understand the implication. “We are not generous folk Bilbo. Loyal and hardy but not a bone of ours could be called altruistic,”

“Balin. Do you mean to say that Thorin has given up the medicine he still needs, for the people of Dale,” Bilbo said plainly, shocked and thinking he had misunderstood. Balin nodded, “You couldn’t distribute in a way that both Dale and he would have enough?” Bilbo asked.

“It was not our choice but his,” Balin said and the sideway glance he shot Bilbo it was also Bilbo’s choice that had caused this, “The Orc blade poison still runs in his system. His daily needs are equal to that of at least two dozen men here in Dale,”

“Then what’ll happen to him?” Bilbo asked, a resolution had already half formed in his mind.  
“His health will decline significantly until more of the plant can be cultivated. He stipulated that Dale’s needs were to be the priority,” Balin glowered as he glanced around the room.  
“Then he’s a stupid stubborn fool,” Bilbo huffed under his breath, “Can no-one convince him? Is he still of his senses?”  
“He is quite himself,” Balin said and then he leant in to hide their conspiracy, “Hence no dwarf can sway him,” He leant back and raised an eyebrow with a knowing expression.

“Then I suppose someone other than a dwarf must tell him,” Bilbo sighed and as he looked from the room to Balin he found the dwarf looking satisfied.  
“That might work,” Balin nodded, “I believe there’s a pony waiting outside,” He turned and headed towards the door and Bilbo followed him. Bilbo almost asked him why a pony would be waiting outside

“Won’t you be heading back to Erebor?” Bilbo asked as he saw the pony tethered just outside. Nori was talking quietly to it and Bilbo was only slightly surprised at his appearance.  
“I believe we’ll be taking residence in the surrounding houses for the night,” Bilbo turned to see Dwalin sat on the steps just outside the door.

“Yeah, apparently I’ve quite suddenly found extra priorities here in Dale too,” Nori said stepped up beside him and offering him the reins. Bilbo took them and then had to desperate need reach for his hankerchief as a sneeze tickled the inside of his nose.

“Are you sure you won’t need,-” He was cut off by Nori rolling his eyes, “I’ll have her back by morning should you need her then,” He said correcting himself as Nori dropped to sit on the step beside Dwalin.  
“Can’t say I don’t simply revel in the idea of sharing a room with this one for the night,” He pointed to Dwalin who flicked Nori’s fingers away from his face. Nori grinned, evaded the gesture and slipped a pouch from Dwalin’s pocket.  
“He always has the best pipeweed,”  
“I’ll need it if you’re starting to think you’re quick enough to steal from me,” Dwalin reached into his other pocket and brought out a similar bag, “Oh, guess not,” Nori deftly undid the loop that held the little bag shut and grimaced immediately.

“Chalk and cheese they may be, but one day we’ll see them with each other’s braids,” Balin said as he helped Bilbo up onto the pony, “And not a soul will be surprised,”

 

The rocky lowlands between Dale and Erebor were no trouble for the pony. She trotted on steadily despite Bilbo’s silence. He felt sorry he’d forgotten to ask for her name. He ran his fingers over the side of her neck each time he felt his own anxieties build up as the mountain loomed before him sharp white against the clear blue skies. 

At the point when Bilbo looked behind himself and judged himself equal distance between Dale and Erebor he stopped the pony in her tracks and despite his allergies dropped his head to her mane. His resolution had been so secure as he left Dale. Thorin’s need had outweighed his own fears and paranoia. Yet from every step his pony took towards the mountain he resolve faltered. If he turned back now without reaching the mountain he didn’t think he could face the other members of the company.

“I’m half way there, I might as well go on,” He told the pony who shook her mane out as he sat back up straight and urged her on. “I don’t deserve his friendship if I don’t try and pull him out of this insanity,” He said to himself, “I don’t deserve to hold any affection for him if I can’t do this,”

Bilbo’s nerve began to truly falter as the gates of Erebor rose up before him and he paused the pony’s step again as he wondered if after the long ride here he should turn back having not stepped inside at all. Between Balin and Dwalin he half thought they had planned to manipulate him to getting this far, that he would not turn back. They would be unlikely to lie to him for the sake of him returning to the mountain, surely. 

It was the vein of concern for Thorin that spurred Bilbo on again. The idea that Thorin would be so willing to give up his own wellbeing at a request from him made him feel deeply uneasy. Over a decison that had been keeping him awake at night for fear of Thorin not answering his letter at all. He’d been so preoccupied with Thorin’s potential indignity at the request made on behalf of the men of Dale, Bilbo had never considered that it would be the reverse that would have him in this position. 

There were guards at the gate who greeted him as he dismounted. He didn’t recognise them though one shouted for word to be sent up of his arrival and another asked how he would like his pony taken care of.  
“Yes, well I don’t actually intend to stay long,” He started though she was already being led away to a stable block a few hundred metres away, “I-,”  
“Bilbo!” He looked up to see Kili running towards him despite the icy ground. “You came back!” He grabbed Bilbo in a strong hug that lifted him clear from the ground without pretence. When he set Bilbo down he remained crowded into Bilbo’s space, hesitant to step away as if he were not sure if Bilbo were to leave again immediately.

“I hardly went far and you see me frequently,” Bilbo huffed but smiled back at Kili cautiously, “I need to speak to your uncle. Is there any chance he will come down to meet me?” Bilbo asked. He glanced up at the entrance to the mountain, his eyes draw to the torches that burned where daylight couldn’t reach. The dark cavernous rooms where Bilbo imagined things reaching out for him. 

“He’s not been out of his quarters all day,” Kili said as he moved around Bilbo and set his back to the gate presumably so that if Bilbo made a break for freedom once again he’d be able to tackle him. “Or yesterday,”

“I-,” Bilbo started and then cleared his throat when the words didn’t come, “I don’t know if i can do this,” He muttered.  
“Are you going to tell him he’s your one?” Kili asked. Bilbo’s concentration snapped up to him.  
“What?” He snapped.  
“Well you asked something of him, knowing he’d do it for you. That’s a part of courting right?” Kili said. He looked 

“ Kili I’m here because Thorin is sacrificing his own health because for some reason despite how far he’s come. I did not ask for him to have a death wish,”  
“He’s trying to be a good king,”  
“Well he should try harder to have a little common sense!”  
“Well we rather hoped you’d get through to him,” Bilbo looked up to see Fili approaching them, a grin much reminiscent of Kili’s greeting.  
“Who Thorin or Kili?” Biblo asked as he rolled his eyes.  
“Both, if you have the inclination,” He too hugged Bilbo firmly in greeting. “And I would gladly give up my duties for the day to watch you,”

“Then we know where to find him don’t we,” Bilbo said glancing again up at the immense mountain that seemed to want to consume him, “ I don’t think I can-, Can you walk with me?”  
“Can we stay and watch?” Fili asked nudging him in the side. And he turned to lead Bilbo inside.  
“You can listen through the keyhole,” Bilbo conceded and the princed both nodded simultaneously in approval  
“That might actually sound better,” Fili added. 

 

Bilbo didn’t wait for his knock to be answered but left Fili and Kili in the corridor as he entered. Even with both princes at his sides Bilbo’s eye’s had darted around the cielings and the corridors in darkness. He’d startled when as they’d passed an open doorway a dwarf had emerged. He’d quickened his step from there until they’d reached Thorin’s rooms. 

The room was dark, the fire burned low and there was but a dark shape in an armchair by the hearth who startled at the intrusion. 

“Bilbo?” Throin’s voice was hoarse and shocked and the furs around him slipped as he leant forwards. He squinted as if to study the sight in front of him to discern whether he were dreaming.  
“You look worse than when I last saw you,” Bilbo said. He shoved his discomfort as far away from his thoughts as possible. It still itched at teh corners of his mind and urged him to keep glancing back into the corners of the room and keep his back to a wall. 

“Then I must be a sorry sight indeed,” Thorin tried to sit up and pull the blanket from his lap but it caught on the cushion and Bilbo heard the tear of threads, “If you would give me some time I might make myself look more accustomed for guests,”  
“You don’t need to accommodate me, Thorin,” Bilbo snapped, “Balin tells me you’re making yourself ill,”  
“A minor side effect. You asked me to help,” Thorin objected, his scowl aimed up at Bilbo as he stepped forwards towards the light of the fire.  
“Do you have so little care for _yourself_?” Bilbo asked as he looked Thorin up and down.  
“You would risk the lives of your friends in Dale?” Thorin asked, his voice edged with indignation.  
“There is a _compromise_ ,” Bilbo insisted and Thorin continued to glare back at him  
“I made it,” Thorin growled. He tried to push himself up from his seat to meet Bilbo eye to eye but his balance was unsteady at best. 

“Oh for goodness sake,” Bilbo stepped forwards and took Thorin by the arm to help him to his feet and balanced. Thorin was thinner than Bilbo’s memory suggested and had only thin sleep clothes than hung from him. Bilbo would have been embarrassed had he not at that moment decided there were far more important things. “Do I need to help you dress?” He asked when he noticed Thorin watching him with wide eyes. The look turned to a sullen glare at the question. 

“I’m not an invalid, did you come only to scold me for making my own decisions. I’ve had others try the very same,”  
“Right now I haven’t a clue why I came,” Bilbo huffed, “To see for myself what a fool you’ve made of yourself,”  
“You’re crueler in life than you are in my dreams, and that is a hard image to beat,”  
“I’m not here to be cruel Thorin,” Bilbo sighed and realised his words were not saying what his mind wanted them to at all. There was too much darkness in the hollows of Erebow and it was utterly clouding his thoughts.“Will you come for a walk with me. I’d rather not walk these dark halls on my own,”  
“Why would you want the company of a fool?”  
“Becuase this fool knows how the darkess and depths of this mountain discomforts me,” It was Bilbo who this time averted his eyes. Tears welled but did not spill over as he saw from the corner of his eyes Thorin tentatively reach out a hand to his.

“You walked here with someone?”  
“Fili and Kili, They met me at the gate as I was unpacking my pony,” He said, “They quite unfortunately took all the gifts I sought to offer you for the honour of your company,” Bilbo said dryly. His temperament it seemed had not mellowed in all the journey from Dale to Erebor. There was no reply from Thorin and Bilbo crossed the room to the night stand where a brush and comb lay. From the look of him Thorin had not combed out and redone his braids in some days. He took his time not wishing to face Thorin at the same time as not wanting to take his eyes off him. The first was how he would keep his thoughts in the vaguest of order.

“You’re disappointed with me. I thought,- I thought it was the right thing to do,” Thorin said, his voice quiet and  
“I appreciated that you send aide to Dale. They were in need and reluctant to ask for it but for goodness sake Thorin you didn’t have to send out so many of your resources there that you and your people go without,”  
“Just me, it’s not a cure often needed for dwarves,”  
“Then why not keep enough for your needs,” Bilbo retrieved the brush and comb and placed them at Thorin’s side. 

“I can go without until the next plants grow,”  
“You suffered for your own people. You have no reason to suffer for others,”  
“It makes me feel numb and Óin cannot say how long it will undermine my strength,” Bilbo hesitated when Thorin paused but eventually he looked up to Thorin. The dwarf’s expression was hopeful and desperate. “In a way I think he believes I have no will to fight it for my body any more,”  
“Do you? If there’s one thing I know of you it’s that you fight for what is yours,”

“I have fought, I’ve fought for too long and now I have my homeland and my kin are provided for. As we wait for the return of our kin from Ered Luin, I feel lost. As if I have lost that which I was fighting for. I worry for the amount Fili has taken onto his young shoulders in my place, but he does not seek my help and I am so weak that and the medicine slows my thoguhts that I fear I become a hindrance to him. For the moment I have nothing more to work for,”  
“Not having a current goal is not a reason to subject yourself to pain in the hopes of finding one,”  
“I’ve found most of my goals in this life through suffering,”  
“And gained more suffering from them... No, find a different way,” His words were firmer and harsher than Bilbo wanted.

“Bilbo, will you stay?” Thorin asked. Bilbo felt his heart near break at the look of his friend and raised a hand gently against Thorin’s cheek. Thorin’s own hand raised to cup it and keep it in place.  
“For the rest of the afternoon at least,” He said with a sigh and a smile.  
“Then that is a gift worth more than any other,”

Thorin tidied and dressed himself in silence and when glanced to the doorway Bilbo joined him without further invitation. Thorin led him further up into the mountain yet Bilbo could still not voice a word. His eyes darted around every extended hallways and up tot eh arches of the cieling his brain would not simply believe there was nothing waiting to drop down from each and every corner. Thorin’s hand almost reached out again to take his but Bilbo deliberately ignored it. 

“Hopefully this might quiet your nerves somewhat,” Thorin said. He pushed open a huge wooden door and natural light poured in as did a brisk chill of crisp air. Thorin held the door as Bilbo stepped past him onto fresh untouched snow. 

“No matter how Óin tells me Mahal has healed me I fear I remain quite a mess should anyone look too closely,”  
“Or look at all,” Bilbo said and though Thorin didn’t look up he frowned, “Though it’s good to know I’m not the only one I suppose,” Bilbo sighed and kept his eyes on his hands.  
“What troubles you that cannot be fixed with a good meal and company?” Thorin asked, a jovial edge to his voice.  
“I doubt you can fix my nightmares any more than I can fix your melancholy,”  
“Not that I wouldn’t challenge you to try,” Thorin reached across and took Bilbo’s hand in his own, “Having your attention has been something I’ve craved for some time,”  
“Thorin,”  
“And your letters grant me a daily solace,” Thorin continued. Bilbo stood and pulled away from Thorin and though he crossed the walkway. He daren’t look over the edge of the balcony, nor look back at Thorin. 

“Have I been too forward and offended you?” Thorin asked.  
“Well I suppose it’s hard to imagine something too forward for a dwarf,” Bilbo snapped but as he looked up a laugh caught him unaware.  
“Forgive me?” Thorin asked. He was not so desperate but just as hopeful as he looked to Bilbo.  
“Forgive yourself,” Bilbo huffed.  
“I don’t know how,” 

Bilbo could not tear himself from Thorin’s eyes. He stepped towards him slowly until he was stood directly in front of Thorin and took a deep breath to steady himself. The smell of leathers and fur and earth was the same that haunted his dreams.  
“There is little I wouldn’t forgive you for,” He said, “But as for the issue of the medicine medicine it seems only right to forgive you if I am convinced it won’t happen again,”  
“I will try,” Thorin whispered. 

Bilbo felt a great affection swell in his chest for the rugged dwarf sat before him. His sweet words and fragile insecurity and against his better judgement Bilbo stepped in closer between Thorin’s leg’s. His finger’s furrowed deeply in the fur collar of Thorin’s coat. He leant into Thorin’s space and pressed his lips to Thorin’s. It was only a gentle press of lips but as hands slipped behinds Thorin’s neck as two strong hands pulled at his waist, Bilbo found it was the only thing keeping him balanced. 

They pulled away slowly yet Thorin’s grip did not fall away. Bilbo felt an unease build in his gut at being so enclosed. He tried to concentrate on other senses than the grip at his sides. Their breath was warm and visible between them in the cold air. Thorin was breathing deeply and Bilbo counted his breathes and matched his own. Thorin’s eyes opened slowly and trailed up from Bilbo’s lips to his eyes. The hard grip loosened and Bilbo found he was shaking without realising. As Bilbo looked back Thorin looked concerned until Bilbo leant back in a pressed a quick kiss to his lips again.  
“Have I imposed and been terribly forward Thorin?” He whispered. His fingertips worried the furs of Thorin’s coat.  
“I would welcome it a thousand times,” Thorin’s grip left Bilbo’s waist and trailed up his sides and down his arms.“Until the end of my days,” He corrected as he pulled Bilbo’s hands from the fur and pressed his lips to them, “I never thought myself so lucky,”

“The sun is falling low, I should start on my way back to Dale,”  
“We have plenty of rooms if I can convince you to stay. It’s no inconvenience,”  
“It’s not the inconvenience I worry about. Thorin.” Bilbo said quietly, “Since I stepped under this mountain I’ve been waiting for a dragon or an orc to come out of the shadows,”  
“No evil will touch you under my roof,” Thorin said, his voice rumbled as if he were trying to protect Bilbo from his own malicious thoughts. Bilbo wished it would work.  
“I know you want me to stay. As does Fili and Kili and the rest of the company no doubt, but-,” Bilbo steadied himself, “I’m waiting for something terrible to happen,” He admitted and Thorin held him close again.  
“Will you continue to write?”Thorin asked, “to bring me hope that I remain in your thoughts,”  
“Your longer beard has made you soft,” Bilbosmiled with amusement and relief as he ducked his had and pushed at Thorin’s chest which elicited a laugh.  
“And clearly more attractive to hobbits,”  
“This hobbit at least has always found you quite attractive, until you open your mouth,”  
“This hobbit is quite rude,”  
“And the king of dwarrows is quite improper for a hobbit, i’ll be blushing in shame for the best part of the evening,”  
“Think of me for worst half too,” Thorin whispered and Bilbo leant in to press another kiss to his cheek.  
“Thorin, I need to go,” He said as he pulled away  
“We can ride with you!” Bilbo dropped Thorin’s hand and startled when Kili sprung into view and behind him and suitably sheepish stepped Fili.  
“How long have you been there?”  
“Long enough to know better,” Fili said. He shrugged one shoulder and looked slightly apologetic. Kili however skipped forwards, kicking the snow before jumping with both feet to land in front of them  
“It doesn’t matter, at least someone in this mountain gets to have their one with them properly,” Bilbo didn’t know whether to back away and disappear instead he heard himself squeak ‘Ones,’  
“Don’t be disrespectful Kili,” Thorin warned him.  
“Just saying. It’s a good thing,” Kili shurgged and in his enthusiasm he didn’t catch on to Bilbo’s discomfort, “I can’t with Tauriel, Fili won’t with Ori,”  
“Kili!” Bilbo shouted trying to stop him.  
“But you can be happy and with each other, permanently,”  
“That’s not,-” Bilbo futilely tried again.  
“Can I be the one to tell Ma?” Kili asked, his eyes darting between Bilbo and Thorin.

“Kili, that’s enough,” Thorin’s voice cut through Kili’s excitement and his expression dropped. Bilbo felt a guilt at having quelled the boy’s mood but Thorin continued in a gentler tone, “Now you are welcome to escort Bilbo back to Dale if that’s what he wants and you promise not to badger him with questions. If he has any inclinatiion to clip you over the back of the head I’ll fully condone it,”  
“Can I Bilbo?” The prince asked, his expression and flailing still quietened.  
“I’d appreciate the company, thank you.” Bilbo said before he added, “But Thorin and I,- you shouldn’t become so invested,”  
“You’re not serious for each other.” Kili’s smile dropped to shock and he took a step bakc as though Bilbo’s words had burnt him, “But that’s horrible, why would you-?”  
“Please remember that I came here because I was annoyed with him,”  
“I’d almost forgotten myself,” Thorin admitted under his breath. Bilbo had too at times, every time he wanted to reach back out for Thorin despite himself.

“We have a lot to talk about and not enough time today,” Bilbo tried to explain.  
“Come on Kil, we’ll get the ponies out ready,” Fili tugged at his brother’s arm and Kili frowned, shooting his gaze between Thorin and Bilbo.  
“Don’t hurt each other,” Kili said insistently.  
“Never intentionally,” Bilbo told him as he turned back to Thorin.  
“Go with your brother, Bilbo and I will be there shortly,” Kili nodded and the two could be heard muttering to each other as the walked away.

 

“I don’t wish to put any expectations on you,” Thorin said as their conversation faded and he reached out to Bilbo again. “But I would like you to know that my feelings are strong. Kili has always had a romantic outlook on sharing his life with his one,”  
“I think I need to think,” Bilbo said slowly.  
“I understand,” Thorin said. He ducked his head and pulled away from Bilbo.  
“Thorin I do care for you, deeply. I wouldn’t toy with you, when I say I need to think, it’s on how I would do my best for you and with you,”  
“You are enough, if you stay,”  
“I’m not planning an escape route,”  
“It was my understanding you still wished to return to the Shire,”  
“My life’s possessions are tucked into Bag End, and yet my heart appears solidly planted here beneath my feet,”  
“Then I would tend this ground myself,”  
“Do you know what you say?” Bilbo asked, Disbelief at Thorin’s reply morphing into a smile he couldn’t hide.  
“Hobbit metaphors are not entirely beyond me,”

 

Kili has a sour expression on his face for most of their ride despite his intial eagerness to ride with him. Bilbo felt entirely responsible for his sullen manner.  
“Kili’s a romantic, nothing quite lives up to his fairytale,” Fili said to Bilbo. Kili glanced up at them but didn’t say a word. He kicked his pony into a light canter and rode just ahead of them. His shoulders hunched.  
“How many people has he see to find their one?” Bilbo asked Fili. He kept his voice low and quiet  
“Not many. If we do we tend to keep our affections private,” Fili said, “Kili feels short-changed. Da died when he was too young to remember, Thorin’s always had other priorities, I don’t act when he thinks I should, and Dwalin keeps his relations private. Bombur and Gloin are private too but he at least knows they’ve courted and married their ones,”  
“So the rest of us don’t do things right?”  
“I wouldn’t know how to love Ori the way he deserves,” Fili shrugged. At which point Kili turnbed his pony around sharply.  
“Do you love Thorin?” He asked.

“I can’t remember the last person I loved wholly. My parents passed so long ago most of my memories are little more than the sketches images above the fireplace in Bag End, and I’ve had few friends over the years,” Bilbo said, both boys seemed to hang on his every word though they were tinged with sadness, “ If I love Thorin it is probably not as he would need, as he would like or as he deserves,”

“I could never be enough for Ori,” Fili lamented again.  
“It’s not about being enough,” Kili said pulling his pony back a little, “They love you anyway. You don’t think Ori is too little do you? Then why would he think that of you. I loved Tauriel when she said she wouldn’t stay here, when she disappeared for months and when I thought she didn’t care for me at all. When I found she’d returned my token, it didn’t matter,”

“Kili,” Bilbo said, “You’re right,” he felt foolish to admit it and grateful of Kili’s open honesty. When he looked back up form the ground to Kili the dwarf looked “You express your love of Tauriel and others vocally and energetically and you glow from having it retuned. I think I’ve allowed my fears to govern me for too long but that doesn’t mean I will now go and should my every thought from the top of the bell tower,”  
“Might get Thorin out of his room more often,” Kili shrugged.  
“And it may get me thrown out of the valley for indecency. Goodness have you any idea how terribly improper my behaviour has been over these past two years,”  
“What’s been improper?” Fili asked  
“From the moment I left my hobbit hole and came chasing after you I’ve broken near every hobbit law of common sense and decency I was taught as a child. And do you know? I think I’m better for it,”  
“We liked you right from the start,” Fili said nudging him with his elbow.  
“Yeah, we bet that you’d come with us,”Kili said as he grinned.  
“You thought I was a funny little halfling,” Bilbo objected indignantly.  
“Still liked you,” Fili said again.

“I’m afraid I have to say it took me a little longer to find fondness in you two,” Biblo said jokingly.  
“Yeah but you like us now,” Kili grinned and as he ushered his pony on faster both Bilbo’s and Fili’s matched it’s pace.  
“I know you’re fishing for compliments, and you know very well how much I like you now,” Bilbo rolled his eyes and was glad their journey would soon be over.  
“If you can’t tell us how are you going to tell Thorin?” Kili said  
“What I think is...I think you’re trouble,” Bilbo said, “And yet I am privileged to have you as my friends,”  
“Aw, Mister Boggins,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to be continued... though I don't know when.


End file.
